Women Discrimination Against Women

The war marked a watershed in the history of women at work, and temporarily at least, caused a greater change in women's economic status than half a century of feminist rhetoric and agitation had been able to achieve. (125)

Undeniably, the outlook of women in the workforce changed following the advent of World War II. Traditionally, the role of caretaker of the house and home was assigned to the woman. Society and institutions facilitated, accepted and supported this way of thinking and way of life. Working outside the home was considered "a man's job". A woman expressing an interest in being anything other than a homemaker and wife was frowned upon. Accepted was the notion that men are better laborers and a woman could not perform at the same level as a man and therefore are undesirable candidates for work in the office or in factories. When America entered in the Second World War, the role of women as primarily stewards of the home was forever changed. As men answered the call of duty, they left behind a void not only in the hearts of their loved ones but also in the workplace. During this time not only were vacancies found in the work that once employees turned soldiers left behind but also we witnessed an increase of labor need for specific industries, such as those that supported the wartime efforts. Women entered the workforce in droves, filling the much needed void in the offices and the factories. Women become the soldiers on the home front and once the war was over, there was no erasing the progress women made in proving capable and ready to hold gainful employment outside the home. This paper addresses women in the workforce,

Before war, it was unheard of to have women participate in big companies with successful men. However, after their husbands left, it was time for women to take over the house work and other jobs to keep the economy running. Finally, “American women entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers during the World War II, as well widespread male enlistment left gaping holes in the industrial labor force” (History.com Staff). However, even though women were taking on the same roles as men, that doesn’t mean they received the same amount of respect. There still remains mistreatment, forced subservience, and even the devaluation of females, as well as an exploitation of their

Women in America have faced gender suppression for centuries. From issues such as not being able to vote, to equal wage rights, feminists and suffragettes have fought for their place in society. During World War II, women began to shape the world around them by taking jobs in large numbers, as men had to leave their jobs to enlist. This was supported through one of America’s cultural icons, Rosie the Riveter, who represented a strong, working woman. However, once the men returned at war’s end, women were fired from their jobs. While women were praised for their work, they also changed the workplace itself, helping the United States transition out of an industrial economy. Harsh factories were given a feminine, personal touch, and the women began to break out of their dull housewife lives--until the war ended. Although World War II caused only a temporary rise in women’s employment, women changed company policies and took jobs normally reserved for men, challenging their own role as subservient housewives and permanently improving employment in the businesses that they worked.

Once World War II began, America was in desperate need of workers, so this gave women a food chance to find high-paying jobs. For example, about 350,000 women were able to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II. There was an increase of job offers for women ranging from service pilots, military doctors, politicians, factory workers, and participation in the Armed Forces (Yellin 112, 299). “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” (“History” 1). If there is one person to thank for the new job opportunities, it is none other than the famous Rosie the Riveter. This well-known fictional woman served not only to promote the changes of fashion during the war, but was also used as a tool for recruiting women to work, especially in the Armed Forces, and it was a success. “In movies, newspapers, posters, photographs, articles, and even a Norman Rockwell-pained Saturday Evening Post cover, the Rosie the Riveter campaign stressed the patriotic need for women to enter the work force—and they did, in huge numbers” (“History” 1). Women began to get involved in organizations women in the earlier years were never imagined to work as such as the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) and Women’s Air force Service Pilots (WASP). “More than 310,000 women worked in the U.S. aircraft industry in 1943, representing 65 percent of the industry’s total workforce (compared to just 1 percent in the pre-war years)” (“History” 1). World War II offered women a chance to be more involved in the military and any high-paying occupation that was considered “too manly” before then, because of the wider range of job offers (“History”

When World War II rolled around men were not the only ones that were called to fight. Women too were enlisted with contributions to the cause. When there were no men left to work business owners began to recruit women. During World War II women proved to be vital in stepping up and taking over men’s jobs. Once the war was over most women were expected to go back to their place in society but there were some who were adamant about it. They had learned new and useful skills and enjoyed the independence working gave them. As men were being shipped out to fight in the battle fronts, women took over various jobs that were before endowed to men. The shortage of male laborers helped them take up jobs like switchboard operators,

Before World War II, women were typically seen as wives and mothers. A majority of jobs were saved for men and it was very uncommon for a woman to have a job that was outside of the house, especially if they were married. The need to prepare for war was so strong that “political and social leaders agreed that both women and men have to change their perceptions of gender roles-at least as long as there was a national emergency” (“Changing Images” 1). America’s view on the woman was about to entirely change. Women were about to change the typical stereotype and prove to men that they could do anything they could.

During World War II, America and Canada had many of their men overseas. They had to find new ways to support their troops and fill the gaps of the men who were not home to work. As a result of the shortage of men, women began working and faced many difficulties as they forged the way for many changes in their world. Women faced ridicule, harassment, degradation, wage gaps, and opportunity gaps. From a young age girls are taught that they are to be quiet and shy, and to not take one ‘masculine’ hobbies and skills. A girl who steps over the metaphorical line can be outcasted, or ridiculed mercilessly. Many of my sources have a showing of the inequalities of availability for women to be hired and work up to higher level positions are lower than a white man’s.

Is there a such thing as a black male/female or is that just an abstraction created by the world? No one on the face of the planet was born saying they were black , it had to have been taught. Anyone calling a person black has been brainwashed to give that label and whatever they label their self. They are all just labels that no one asked for. Labels are instilled from day one, and they begin to marinate and sink in until they are accepted. “It is sad because the thing that least defines us as people in the color of our skin.”

During the war in the 1940s, an aggressive media campaign urged more than six million women into the workforce. It is astonishing seeing each year; there were better accomplishments that women were making. Many learned new techniques such as working in steel plants, shipyards, and lumber mills. Sports also became a new and admired era in this time. The famous “Rosie the Riveter”, “We Can Do It!” was a part of the governor campaign that brought women into the workplace during the war. Following the end of WWII, most of these jobs went back to the men, and women were encouraged to either return back home or find a “female” job. This reveals that women were used. They were only needed when most of the men were in the war. In

Prior to World War II, employers and the government held that there were jobs appropriate for women and jobs which were inappropriate because women were not capable of fulfilling the tasks involved in such work. As we

From the beginning of time the male and female have been expected to perform certain roles in society. Males have been expected to work and provide for their family while the female raises the children, cooks, cleans and keeps the house in order. Today many women have broken that tradition and are starting their careers and becoming more independent. Even though females today are braking away from that stereotype, they are being discriminated in the work place because there are still individuals out there that believe that women should play a certain role and that they are not strong enough to work in a cooperation or

Despite the different time periods, there are several similarities in how both World War I and World War II impacted women in the workplace. At the start of each war, millions of young men left their jobs, homes, and families to serve their country in the war, leaving thousands of employment positions needing to be filled. However, employers did not immediately turn to women to fill those roles. Not only were employers hesitant to hire them until it was absolutely necessary, but male workers did not quite know how to handle women as their new coworkers. According to Carrie Brown, “men disliked having their domain invaded by women. They didn’t know how to treat women in the workplace, and they didn’t want to learn” (127). Men accused women workers of stealing jobs from men, whose rightful place was in the workforce, and many even held the belief that women were lowering the wages earned. Despite these discriminations, employers did eventually hire women, and as a result, women had the opportunity to complete jobs that were normally done by men. Once women were able to overcome the

All around the world people are being discriminated; some are discriminated because of their race, while others are because of their gender, such as women. In today world, it is no different than it was 10,000 years ago. Women are still sold into prostitution, forced to marry someone they don’t love, have no right for abortion or birth control, have little or no access to education, and have to fully rely on men. This is not fair at all, women should have right’s, they didn’t before here in the United States, but now they do (even though it still exists here). If women can have right’s here in the United States they should be able to else ware. In all discrimination against women is unfair, and unjust, because here in the U.S it is

Throughout the 20th century, women were often seen as eye-candies and mannequins at work, and in many cases, they even encounter sexual molestation. Discrimination and harassment against women is still prevalent in the workplace. During the 2013 fiscal year, Courts enforced 7,256 charges of sexual harassment, out of which, women comprised 82.6 % of victims, while there were 27,687 cases of gender discrimination. Our era has seen new conventions and legal philosophies, which are steering towards female emancipation. Courts have passed laws such as Title VII, of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on “race, color, religious belief, gender, or national origin of the person.” These laws empower women and aim to forestall them from facing any discrimination or hostility at work. Civil rights provide protection to women, but it fails to provide the sense of equality that women deserve. During the 20th century, our society has envisioned a vast movement for Equal Right Amendment (ERA). The ERA was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution, which guaranteed equality between human races and women, under law. The bill failed in 1982, when it did not receive enough state votes for the confirmation. To a historian, North Country can present insight about gender inequality in the late 20th century. It also sheds light on the historical issues which stand to influence our times, by leading to the conception of new laws and