THEME 3 WOMEN Flashcards
How significantly did the position of women change between 1917 and 1980—the impact of ww1
Before ww1, women were struggling to get the right to vote, they were struggling to find equal rights regardless.
WW1 allowed women to work, albeit they were paid less but it gave them some scope of independence. After the war ended, women were to go back home whereas men were to return to war but, it also provided them the right to vote under the 19th amendment
18/09/20 was when this was passed.
The league of women’s Voters was set up to encourage women to vote. However many poorer women didn’t, many voted for who their husband wanted them to vote for.
Rich women voted mostly
THE ROARING TWENTIES
Economic boom allowed comsumer confidence to grow, more money available thus more money to spend. Schemes such as Hire purchase also allowed confidence In buying.
As Wilson promised, there was a return back to normalcy which meant orthodox and traditional methods for women were to be reinstated back into society.
People believed that women working was for exceptional times and that they shouldn’t take working away from men.
Single women before the war worked whilst married women stayed home unless they had financial difficulties.
Some jobs such as teaching were barred for married women.
White rich women were open to change, office jobs created eg typing pool – women area
Womens burueu of labor set up to have more work.
Between 1930 and 1940, women working increased from 7.64million to 13.007 million.
FLAPPERS
Flappers were a small percentage of women who were rebellious and acted like “young men” in terms of societies’ lens. They wore short skirts, had sexual liberty, cut their hair short, went to male dominated sporting events such as boxing without a male escort. Some went to jazz clubs and speakeasies that no lady was to go to. They changed the public perception of women—many adopted to the traditional role of a woman as soon as they got married – employers made sure of this.
THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND THE IMPACT
The great depression impacted class rather than gender, the upper class got by until they lost everything in the stock market. Middle class was okay unless they had failing factories/farms. Poor people suffered the most as they had the least reserve. Women were dependent on men, but some found work to supplement husband’s income. Widowed/divorced had to find any work. 1932 women bureau labor reported that women working in meat packaging/slaughtering – 97% Bec they had to, not wanted to.
The women’s bureau labour was mostly ignored coz it focussed on women but women in society also say that it hindered progress.
When it pushed for minimum wage and time limits to 10 hrs a day.
Men didn’t have minimum wage and those who worked in packaging said that 10hrs weren’t always possible. Thus many women had to break the law. Labour regulations only applied to industrial work, not to farming or domestic services where there was a large influx of women working.
THE IMPACT OF THE NEW DEAL
Gains – played a far more important role in govt, Roosevelt appointed frances perkin as secretary of labour from ’33 to ’45
Best for cabinet.
Second ww had a dramtic effect for the rights of women, women were employed more – 12million – 26% of pop in 1941 and 19 million – 36% in 1945
3 million did voluntary work for red cross
Women made up labour force
1945, 300k women in armed forces
60% favoured women in work by ‘42
1943 the congress ruled that army was to have female docs
They felt more empowered.
Limitations- anatagonism and hostility within society continued, many struggled to balance work and family – war manpower commission noted that 10k missing hours as women were doing laundry
80% of americans did not favour married women In jobs
Women had to return back to trad roles in 1946.
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
She wanted something similar to the civilian conservation camps, which focussed on jobless men. It found men between the ages of 17-24, they lived in the army and dug reservoirs. Around 2.5million employed.
This was the newdeals aid for poorer families.
for jobless women to work in forestry. 1933, camp tera the first camp set up whch was funded by private donations to conquer the mass unemployment of women.
By 1934, Roosevelt held a white house conf for unemployed women but after, these camps were funded federally. By 1936, 36 camps taking 5000 a year but only for 2-3 months with limited wages.
Black women suffered the most, they were on lowest wages, in ww the average was 60 cent however bw earned around 23 cent
Fannie peak set up the housewive’s league In Detroit to encourage running shops.
ROSIE THE RIVETER 1945 TO 60
Epitome of feminism and bravery, encouraged women to recruit in the defence industry- national workforce increased from 27% to 37%
Posters encouraged women to work
1940 training act had began to train women in the same work that men had done like shipbuilding
16% of married women could not work due to childcare issues, however an act passed in 1943 allowed 133k children to be sent to childcare in 1944. 1 million in agriculture work.
Black women could train for positions that they hadn’t done before, bw in nursing rose from 1,108 in 1939 to 2600 in 1945.
Employment rose further after ww2, from 10.0% to 22.0%
Social attitudes changed,
Limitations- hostility continued. Women did not go back to factories that made ammunition. Many men wanted their jobs back.
SUBURBAN LIFESTYLE
New style of living- suburbs began to see a rise in residency because of the post war economic boom. Socially segregated, black people could do well and live in suburban areas too.
19million ppl in suburbs by 1950
Schools/leisure.
New housewife- breadwinner male , wife stayed home to take care of the kids. If women worked they were excluded from friends and if they also differed from norms.
Inner city living – inner cities became a downward spiral, racism grew, suburbs had no impact on rural communities.
1961 TO 1980 NOW
NOW- set up in 1966, non radical and they campaigned and coordinated action for women’s equality. Had 40k members.
They organised demonstrations for equality across the usa and they also challenged discrimination in court cases between 66 and 71
They secured 30million in back pay for women who had not been paid equally to men
However their methods were too outdated, harder to fight in court thus progress was limited.
WOMEN LIBERATION MOVEMENT
Radical, known as feminists. More active in challenging discrimination.
More extreme feminists wanted nothing to do with men, all signs of male supremacy to be removed inc male control at work, media
Burned their bras, didn’t wear makeup
In 1968 they boycotted the miss America beauty contest, they crowned a sheep instead, said it worked to degrade women
People saw the wlm as doing more harm than good. Publicity did not treat them well, ruined the image of women.
BETTY FRIEDMAN
Journalist and Psychologist published her work called the feminine mystique which spoke about the social constraints of patriarchy that married white educated women faced. It had a widespread publicity and motivated these women to think about their own life and act. They set up their own organisations eg NOW was set up in 1966, friedman = founder.
They wanted to change the system from within, they also incorporated civil rights too.
Congress put pressure, petitions.
Ran by volunteers, young white women under 30
1970 all organisations participated in a strike .
CHANGING POSITION OF WOMEN
Women’s inequality grew due to inconsistent equality employed within society. Women in work grew but many stayed in low paid jobs.
Women worked in ‘womanly’ careers e.g. teaching/nursing. Women counted for 10% of headteachers by 70% of teachers, 7% docs and 3% lawyers.
Gender inequality was worshipped in society, female jurors not allowed, 18 states refused them. 6 said women could not work in finance without a male signature.
Overall male dominance
All represented 3 demands, equal pay, free childcare and abortion.
The strike received a lot of publicity – don’t iron whilst the strike is hot- membership to NOW increased to over 50%
YOUNG RADICALS
There was a second strand to the women liberation movement that appeared under women who were under 30 and they were known to be the radicals, they had worked with SNCC and the SDS in reference to the black civil rights movement. They tried to raise issues within these groups however, they faced sexism therefore they set up their own radical groups – they wanted immediate change and they drew upon the notion of women liberation – the national magazine strated in 1968 which spread news upon liberation – called the voice of the women liberation movement it was ran by volunteers and sold 200 copies howeve they were mocked for their radical views – media focussed on their extremism - All represented 3 demands, equal pay, free childcare and abortion.
The strike received a lot of publicity – don’t iron whilst the strike is hot- membership to NOW increased to over 50%
- Kate millets sex politics challenged the patrirachy in literature
CHANGING POSITION OF WOMEN
Women’s inequality grew due to inconsistent equality employed within society. Women in work grew but many stayed in low paid jobs.
Women worked in ‘womanly’ careers e.g. teaching/nursing. Women counted for 10% of headteachers by 70% of teachers, 7% docs and 3% lawyers.
Gender inequality was worshipped in society, female jurors not allowed, 18 states refused them. 6 said women could not work in finance without a male signature.
Overall male dominance
All represented 3 demands, equal pay, free childcare and abortion.
The strike received a lot of publicity – don’t iron whilst the strike is hot- membership to NOW increased to over 50%
OPPOSITION
The women’s liberation movement attracted much opposition.
Conservatives used radicals’ declarations that all men were the enemy to mock the movement and preached ‘family values’ and ‘tradition’.
The movement got even less support as liberalism gave way to conservatism in the 1970s.
Equal rights was easier to demand than economic and social equality and so onERA was opposed by people like Phyllis Schlafly. He set up the STOP ERA which meant by STOP TAKING OUR PRIVILEGES
