After the final bomb was dropped in 1945, the social landscape and status of women in America began to change. The Second World War created job opportunities for women, opening the door for positions usually reserved for men. Between 1940 and 1945, the female percentage of the U.S. workforce increased from 27 percent to nearly 37 percent, and by 1945 nearly one out of every four married women worked outside the home (10, “American Women in World War II”). This active participation in the labour force in the United States was a catalyst for the women’s rights movements that took place post World War II. Women fought aggressively against the state, in the courts and even in the home for equality and social status. In my paper, I will argue that
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After World War II, women were no longer needed in the labour force because war efforts was not the first priority of American life. The period that was once gender neutral, reverted back to a period of gender inequality post World War II. In 1963, Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique became a bestseller. Many women claimed the book changed the direction of their lives. The view of women existing only in a domestic setting was upheld. In 1964, the United States Congress finally added the word “sex” to Title VII of the Civil Rights Bill, prohibiting discrimination in employment on the basis of “race, colour, religion, national origins or sex”(3. Civil Rights Act of 1964). This triggered a domino effect, allowing more women to stand up for their rights, to be treated equally, and to start organizations raising awareness of critical issues. On October 29 1966, in Washington, D.C., thirty-two persons organized the National Organization for Women headed by Betty Friedan (4, NOW, “Statement of Purpose”). The NOW accrued over five thousand members by 1973. These members worked closely on court cases, advocating for pro-equality laws including abortion, and birth control rights. Because the Women’s Movement was so powerful, by the mid-1960’s, two-thirds of jobs were going to women (5, Tavaana, “Breaking Down Barriers of Women”). This meant women were …show more content…
The shortage of shipyard workers during the war allowed women to step up to the plate, and begin working the same positions as men. By the end of the war, even though jobs started plummeting, there was a resurgence in the feminist movement. In 1964, the word “sex” was finally added to Title VII of the Civil Rights Bill, leading to more jobs available for women. Women found power in numbers and set up many outreaching organizations such as the National Organization for Women (NOW). G.D. Searle and Co. released the first birth control pill, “Enovid” in 1957 for gynecological irregularities, but it was not until 1960 that it was approved as contraceptive use; which supported the new ideology that women were more than just child bearers. It was evident that women wanted to be educated, they wanted jobs, they wanted to be able to plan their families. As a woman, and a contributing member of society, the women of the past are directly responsible for my opportunity and freedom I have today to receive an post secondary education. Breakthroughs such as abortion and birth control have allowed women to have children later on in their life when they are physically, emotionally, and economically ready to support a child. The social status of women in the post war era saw growth towards equality, and was obtained from the blood sweat and tears of
After World War II, women were no longer needed in the labour force because war efforts was not the first priority of American life. The period that was once gender neutral, reverted back to a period of gender inequality post World War II. In 1963, Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique became a bestseller. Many women claimed the book changed the direction of their lives. The view of women existing only in a domestic setting was upheld. In 1964, the United States Congress finally added the word “sex” to Title VII of the Civil Rights Bill, prohibiting discrimination in employment on the basis of “race, colour, religion, national origins or sex”(3. Civil Rights Act of 1964). This triggered a domino effect, allowing more women to stand up for their rights, to be treated equally, and to start organizations raising awareness of critical issues. On October 29 1966, in Washington, D.C., thirty-two persons organized the National Organization for Women headed by Betty Friedan (4, NOW, “Statement of Purpose”). The NOW accrued over five thousand members by 1973. These members worked closely on court cases, advocating for pro-equality laws including abortion, and birth control rights. Because the Women’s Movement was so powerful, by the mid-1960’s, two-thirds of jobs were going to women (5, Tavaana, “Breaking Down Barriers of Women”). This meant women were …show more content…
The shortage of shipyard workers during the war allowed women to step up to the plate, and begin working the same positions as men. By the end of the war, even though jobs started plummeting, there was a resurgence in the feminist movement. In 1964, the word “sex” was finally added to Title VII of the Civil Rights Bill, leading to more jobs available for women. Women found power in numbers and set up many outreaching organizations such as the National Organization for Women (NOW). G.D. Searle and Co. released the first birth control pill, “Enovid” in 1957 for gynecological irregularities, but it was not until 1960 that it was approved as contraceptive use; which supported the new ideology that women were more than just child bearers. It was evident that women wanted to be educated, they wanted jobs, they wanted to be able to plan their families. As a woman, and a contributing member of society, the women of the past are directly responsible for my opportunity and freedom I have today to receive an post secondary education. Breakthroughs such as abortion and birth control have allowed women to have children later on in their life when they are physically, emotionally, and economically ready to support a child. The social status of women in the post war era saw growth towards equality, and was obtained from the blood sweat and tears of