The Effect of World War 2 on American Women They never saw it coming, but women's lives and roles in society would be forever altered by the second world war. Many women had to join the workforce for the very first time, and others had to fight for our country alongside their men. Because of these changes their home lives would also never be the same. Many women had to pay for child care because they had a full time job, which meant that they couldn’t watch after their children as much(Bryant). Even women's fashion was affected by World War 2, but all of these things would advance women's rights. Woman had to change the way that they were living their lives, or suffer tremendously. Women knew that they needed to find a way to provide for
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When women began to work or fight for their country they gained more independence. For the first time women began to realize that they could make it on their own. They felt more powerful. Once they had to get jobs they made their own money, then they got to decide how they would spend it. They also learned many new skills that they didn't learn in school. They established new friendships all without the help of their spouses. They learned to live on their own. Another thing that the war brought home was a change in women's fashion. The popular and widely know pinstripe suit wasn't just for men anymore, women began to rock it too. In the same light, women began to wear pants and jumpsuits like men wore. On the more feminine side, foreign airships that were shot down were recycled and turned into women's jewelry. Patriotic prints began to appear on clothing. War themed makeup compacts were given to the wives and the mothers of soldiers. They often were shaped like a soldier's green hats(BBC News). Along with men sharing their clothes with women they began to look at women different, more equally. Once men began to realize that for every women that fought one less boy would be drafted. On more than one occasion the government thought about having a female draft, but it never was actually put into motion. At first men laughed at the thought of women trying to operate a gun. Eventually they realized that women were capable of holding their own. Men started to notice that women were not just useful in the home anymore. They began to see them as equals, and men gave women more respect(History and
When women began to work or fight for their country they gained more independence. For the first time women began to realize that they could make it on their own. They felt more powerful. Once they had to get jobs they made their own money, then they got to decide how they would spend it. They also learned many new skills that they didn't learn in school. They established new friendships all without the help of their spouses. They learned to live on their own. Another thing that the war brought home was a change in women's fashion. The popular and widely know pinstripe suit wasn't just for men anymore, women began to rock it too. In the same light, women began to wear pants and jumpsuits like men wore. On the more feminine side, foreign airships that were shot down were recycled and turned into women's jewelry. Patriotic prints began to appear on clothing. War themed makeup compacts were given to the wives and the mothers of soldiers. They often were shaped like a soldier's green hats(BBC News). Along with men sharing their clothes with women they began to look at women different, more equally. Once men began to realize that for every women that fought one less boy would be drafted. On more than one occasion the government thought about having a female draft, but it never was actually put into motion. At first men laughed at the thought of women trying to operate a gun. Eventually they realized that women were capable of holding their own. Men started to notice that women were not just useful in the home anymore. They began to see them as equals, and men gave women more respect(History and