1930s American Women In The 1930's

The Great Depression in the 1930’s was a wearisome time for Americans, mostly due to the stock market crash on October 29th, 1929. While people struggled financially during 1930s, there were social aspects that corresponded with the obstruction of American lives. As men were without jobs, women were often forced to conform into more than “homemaker” to keep with family demands. In the United States, women felt the social bearing of misfortunes between 1929 and 1939 through discrimination upon entering the labor force and through reinforcement of gender roles within their homes.

The downfall of the United States economy in the beginning the 1930s left men unemployed, therefore pushing some women to work for income, causing gender discrimination. When unemployment rates increased from 1.5 million (1926) to 2.7 million by the end of 1929 , the thirties adopted opinions that women shouldn’t hold jobs if men were out of work because they needed to strengthen the home. These opinions were justified as many believed a maternal figure was necessary to support the home in times of financial turmoil. The stigma was also influenced by common beliefs that a woman’s income couldn’t support their families, but because women did not receive equal pay to a man, they were not as effected by depression. This, as well as the need for money, helped influence women to join the workforce, even amid discrimination. Women moved forward …show more content…
While gender stereotypes didn’t always lend themselves to making women’s efforts simple, their perseverance enabled them to work in and outside of home as men searched for work. The Great Depression didn’t economically slash women as it did men, but the social impact women experienced by both genders was equal, if not greater, for they pushed more work into already busy lives, helping to possibly reduce the sorrow of the