Women - main developments Flashcards
How did work change for women after the civil war? (stats)
before and after civil war 1870
- 10% of women had jobs in 1840
15% in 1870. - There was a big increase in white-collar industries.
What jobs did women work in before the 1930s?
- teaching and nursing, charity and welfare.
So the stereotype that women were linked to caring roles dominated.
women trade union stats
- 2% of trade unionists were women in (1914)
what percentage of uni degreees were given to women after ww1
- only 30% of university degrees were given to women in 1920.
How did WW1 have a limited impact on women?
- labelled farmerettes, despite there being a well-established tradition of women in rural occupations.
- Around 30,000 women worked in the armed forces, but there was less change as this was in domestic service like laundry or nursing.
Why was the flapper era not a turning point?
It was metropolitan centric
contraception
The birth control pill was not until 1950s, and abortion legalised in 1973.
What was the position of married women in work in the 1920s?
workforce percentage
Married women made up to 28% of the female workforce (1920s) - however, still mainly in domestics or textiles
what was the impact of the great depression on women?
- Married women found it more difficult
- women accused stealing mens jobs
- women workers increased from 11% to 15% of the workforce.
How was WW2 not that impactful on women? (pay)
no equality in pay - women were payed on average $23 less than men
How was post-WW2 worse than post-WW1?
The Cold War encouraged a social conservatism, the extended period of prosperity and the growth of suburban America tended to reinforce tradition
when was abortion legalised
Roe vs Wade was passed by the Supreme Court in 1973.
What was the position of women in the 1990s? stats
education and women in congress
- 7 females in congress by 1993.
- Half of university graduates were women in 1986.
feminist literature?
- the feminine mystique (1963) - about women not finding ‘fulfilment’ in being a housewife etc
- The yellow wallpaper (1892) - highlights confiding nature of gender roles
what % of managers + exec in the 70s were women
5%
