World War One (WWI) had not only an enormous impact on women’s role in the home, but also in the workplace and society more generally. Due to the war reshaping so many lives, it is viewed as a “catalyst for enormous changes in all aspects of life, including ideas about gender and the behaviour of men and women” (Grayzel, 2002). After WWI, there was societal change around the world including women gaining the vote and a rise of women’s independence. Upon return from the war, men replaced the women in their wartime roles and were left to return to the home or to the more traditional areas of employment such as textiles. The introduction of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) (Women and War, 2014) in Britain allowed women to be actively involved
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The munitions factories became the largest employer of British women during 1918 due to the high demand of products (Sundari Anitha, World War I: 1914-1918, 2013). Conscription in 1916 created a need for more women in the workforce to fill these essential roles. This opening of job opportunities led to women working in areas that were generally left for men such as ‘railway guards and ticket collectors, buses and tram conductors, postal workers, police, firefighters and as bank ‘tellers’ and clerks’ (Sundari Anitha, World War I: 1914-1918, 2013). Despite this essential work, they received lower wages and therefore began demanding for equal pay. The popular perception of women being less productive than men could not be shifted despite women performing well in their jobs and this pushed unions to take action for equal pay. While receiving guarantees that women taking on skilled men’s roles would be paid equally, it was made clear that this guarantee was only for the extent of the war and would be overturned once the men returned. Despite this inequality, women’s employment rates increased during WWI from ‘23.6% of the working age population in 1914 to between 37.7% and 46.7% in 1918 (Sundari Anitha, World War I: 1914-1918, 2013). Upon the return of the soldiers, women were sacked and men returned to their jobs, leaving women redundant in many cases, or working for lower wages. …show more content…
Other women’s organisations were involved in WWI including The First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) which began in 1907 and the volunteers were specialists in first aid (Trueman, 2015). During WWI, they were sent out into the battlefield as medics to fetch the wounded and they played a major role in the recovery of wounded soldiers (Trueman, 2015). Many women volunteered to serve in some form including more than 3000 Australian nurses (Australian War Memorial, 2016). While many women volunteered to do their bit for their country, this opportunity also allowed them to be nearer to their loved ones that were at war while also giving them the opportunity to travel which was a rarity in this era. These women travelled all over the world to serve their country, and many were decorated for their service. Women from all over the world were able to serve their country on the frontline by volunteering as nurses or driving military vehicles as the FANY did (Lee, 2008). These women freed up positions for men to serve and also were highly regarded for their contribution to the war effort. This gave women independence and society saw a swing away from male dependence where women stepped up and had an enormous impact on the war, earning them more
The munitions factories became the largest employer of British women during 1918 due to the high demand of products (Sundari Anitha, World War I: 1914-1918, 2013). Conscription in 1916 created a need for more women in the workforce to fill these essential roles. This opening of job opportunities led to women working in areas that were generally left for men such as ‘railway guards and ticket collectors, buses and tram conductors, postal workers, police, firefighters and as bank ‘tellers’ and clerks’ (Sundari Anitha, World War I: 1914-1918, 2013). Despite this essential work, they received lower wages and therefore began demanding for equal pay. The popular perception of women being less productive than men could not be shifted despite women performing well in their jobs and this pushed unions to take action for equal pay. While receiving guarantees that women taking on skilled men’s roles would be paid equally, it was made clear that this guarantee was only for the extent of the war and would be overturned once the men returned. Despite this inequality, women’s employment rates increased during WWI from ‘23.6% of the working age population in 1914 to between 37.7% and 46.7% in 1918 (Sundari Anitha, World War I: 1914-1918, 2013). Upon the return of the soldiers, women were sacked and men returned to their jobs, leaving women redundant in many cases, or working for lower wages. …show more content…
Other women’s organisations were involved in WWI including The First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) which began in 1907 and the volunteers were specialists in first aid (Trueman, 2015). During WWI, they were sent out into the battlefield as medics to fetch the wounded and they played a major role in the recovery of wounded soldiers (Trueman, 2015). Many women volunteered to serve in some form including more than 3000 Australian nurses (Australian War Memorial, 2016). While many women volunteered to do their bit for their country, this opportunity also allowed them to be nearer to their loved ones that were at war while also giving them the opportunity to travel which was a rarity in this era. These women travelled all over the world to serve their country, and many were decorated for their service. Women from all over the world were able to serve their country on the frontline by volunteering as nurses or driving military vehicles as the FANY did (Lee, 2008). These women freed up positions for men to serve and also were highly regarded for their contribution to the war effort. This gave women independence and society saw a swing away from male dependence where women stepped up and had an enormous impact on the war, earning them more