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How did World War One improve opportunities for women's empowerment and elevate women's status in society?

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World War One was a time of death, destruction and was in general a conflict of monumental proportions. However, as the cliché goes, there is a silver lining to every storm cloud. In the case of the Great War, the silver lining refers to the great leaps forward made in women's empowerment and involvement in society because of the advent of the war, which forced them into positions previously never considered by either gender. World War One provided women with the perfect opportunity to demonstrate to a male-dominated society that females were there for more than simply domestic chores, and this proved to be beneficial for both women and men alike. Women became involved in the army on the frontlines, were nurses and medical aids, played …show more content…

As women were finally recognised for their contributions as nurses and medical aids, they were provided with a sense of importance and their position in society was elevated. Without the women who courageously partook in these organisations, the casualty rates would have been much higher, so the services that these women provided were undeniably invaluable. Because women played such an instrumental role in World War 1, the war became a time when women's roles that were previously thought to be mundane were finally acknowledged and respected, bringing a whole new level to women's empowerment. Although women were actively participating in the military itself, their involvement in the civilian workforce was just as equality asserting and significant, especially when women began to take on roles such as running their countries' transport systems. During the advent of war, the need for transport increased exponentially, as supplies, personnel, and other war-related equipment were in higher demand. With the men enlisted in the army, there was no choice but for the women to take over these professions, including working on the rail and tram lines and driving trucks, cranes, cars, and motorbikes for the war. Women found this "thrilling" (Goldstein), as this was an experience that none had encountered before and was a far

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