The Change in Women’s Employment Opportunities during the 20th Century From the fateful day when America declared its independence from Britain, different groups in the United States have fought for equality in job opportunities. Until the middle of the 20th century, women were not expected to work outside of the home, and if they did, their only employment options were domestic servitude, or basic primary school teaching. Today, women have abundant employment opportunities, including but not limited to careers in the educational, medical, political, and military fields. Throughout the 20th century, employment opportunities available to middle-class women in the United States significantly increased because of World War II labor shortages
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The Selective Service Act, originally passed in 1940, required every male citizen, and other males residing within the country, between the ages of 18 and 65, to register for the draft. This was the first peacetime draft in United States history (U.S. Congress). Because men who were drafted were required to serve for at least one year in the armed forces, there was a shortage of workers in the United States. Once the United States officially entered World War II in 1941, more and more men were drafted. By the end of the war in 1945, 50 million men between eighteen and forty-five had registered for the draft and 10 million were in the military (“Research Starters: The Draft and World War II”). According to the census bureau, the population of the U.S. in 1941 was only 133 million (“20th Century Statistics”). With such a great percentage of the population fighting the war abroad, the need for working women increased exponentially in order to sustain the economy, which lead to more rights and job opportunities for women which persisted even after the conclusion of the …show more content…
Over 400,000 women were involved in direct combat for the United States, from nurses and administrative staff to snipers and specialists on the front line (Editors of Military.com). One such nurse was Margaret Richey Raffa, who served in the Army Nurse Corps (ANC), alongside nearly sixty thousand other female American nurses. She was in the United States Air Force, 801st Medical Air Evacuation Squadron, and was one of the first nurse squadrons dispatched to the Pacific. As a nurse, Raffa felt a great sense of responsibility for her patients, showing her professionalism as she healed their bodies and minds. Even though she was constantly under attack by the Japanese, she still performed her duties faithfully (“World War II Nurse”). As shown by Raffa’s experience, women’s role as healthcare workers in the military increased dramatically during World War II because of the labor shortage. When men left for World War II, job opportunities opened up for women abroad and at home. Female nurses were extremely valued during World War II because they treated soldiers with compassion and courage. In addition to healing their bodies and minds, female nurses helped build morale for soldiers. They inspired soldiers by setting an example of hard working women: if they were capable of handling the war, the soldiers could too. Moreover, World War II greatly changed women’s employment
The Selective Service Act, originally passed in 1940, required every male citizen, and other males residing within the country, between the ages of 18 and 65, to register for the draft. This was the first peacetime draft in United States history (U.S. Congress). Because men who were drafted were required to serve for at least one year in the armed forces, there was a shortage of workers in the United States. Once the United States officially entered World War II in 1941, more and more men were drafted. By the end of the war in 1945, 50 million men between eighteen and forty-five had registered for the draft and 10 million were in the military (“Research Starters: The Draft and World War II”). According to the census bureau, the population of the U.S. in 1941 was only 133 million (“20th Century Statistics”). With such a great percentage of the population fighting the war abroad, the need for working women increased exponentially in order to sustain the economy, which lead to more rights and job opportunities for women which persisted even after the conclusion of the …show more content…
Over 400,000 women were involved in direct combat for the United States, from nurses and administrative staff to snipers and specialists on the front line (Editors of Military.com). One such nurse was Margaret Richey Raffa, who served in the Army Nurse Corps (ANC), alongside nearly sixty thousand other female American nurses. She was in the United States Air Force, 801st Medical Air Evacuation Squadron, and was one of the first nurse squadrons dispatched to the Pacific. As a nurse, Raffa felt a great sense of responsibility for her patients, showing her professionalism as she healed their bodies and minds. Even though she was constantly under attack by the Japanese, she still performed her duties faithfully (“World War II Nurse”). As shown by Raffa’s experience, women’s role as healthcare workers in the military increased dramatically during World War II because of the labor shortage. When men left for World War II, job opportunities opened up for women abroad and at home. Female nurses were extremely valued during World War II because they treated soldiers with compassion and courage. In addition to healing their bodies and minds, female nurses helped build morale for soldiers. They inspired soldiers by setting an example of hard working women: if they were capable of handling the war, the soldiers could too. Moreover, World War II greatly changed women’s employment