Flappers In The 1920's

Flappers embodied the changing attitudes of women after World War I. Once men left their jobs for the war, women had to fill their empty roles. Women became workers that contributed to society rather than just mothers and wives. Men returned from war expecting to go back to a male-dominated society, however they were greeted by women that had tasted freedom and wanted their own independence. These new women began to call themselves “flappers”. They rebelled against all previous conventional standards by smoking, drinking, and flaunting their sexuality. Their bold and sometimes shocking behavior made them and what they stood for controversial throughout society (DiPaolo). Flappers oftentimes advocated for women’s suffrage and would stage protests and demonstrations in order to be heard. They dominated the cosmopolitan scene in the 1920’s by abandoning traditional standards and exuding confidence. Cultural changes from World War I spurred the economic and social changes caused by the women’s rights movement in the 1920’s. …show more content…
Before the war, women were expected to do nothing but stay home and care for her husband and children. They were submissive to their husbands and had to rely on them to support the family. Once women were pushed into the workforce, they experienced freedom and wanted to continue to be able to support themselves. This was a huge factor leading to the start of the new woman. The loss of so many Americans in the war led to a generation of people questioning their morality and the judgement of those who supported the war. They began to doubt what they had been raised to believe and form their own opinions to strongly stand behind. So, in the typical ways of a flapper, women began to eliminate the double standard and ignore what society had told them. Flappers were created from a series of cultural events that emerged during and after World War