World War Two : Changing Women 's Rights

As a result of WW1, Australia’s society became an unbiased environment for Women, because they were given the opportunity to do jobs that had been left empty by men who had gone to fight the Germans. Life for

Women started to see themselves as more than a housewife. Some of the daughters started working as young as fourteen or fifteen years old. They were proud of their newly found skills with their hands. Over six-million women had taken over jobs dominated by men when the men left for war. Women were said to have better or more precise motor skills than men. This skill was a great asset to doing needle work for wiring bombs and filling metal casting with gunpowder. This is obviously a dangerous job and it did have accidents that cause over 200,000 women to become disabled and 37,000 to lose their lives. With the help of the women in the factories they made an estimated 300,000 aircrafts, 12,000 ships, 86,000 tanks, and millions of artillery and small weapons. In the 1940’s many women worked the railroads. This employed over 2 million people. The women who took over this job were critical in helping keep the flow of army material and troops. Women also took the jobs of transit workers for example: mail carriers and truck drivers. Women also created civil defense communities to help with emergencies. These women were trained on firefighting, driving ambulances and many other medical emergencies for possible aerial bombings. Many of the women who were apart of these civil defenses were volunteers. Many costal communities scanned for enemy aircrafts or ships in case

During the World War II era, the outlook on the role of women in Australian society revolutionised. As a majority of men were at war, Australian women were encouraged to rise above and beyond their stereotypical ‘housewife’ status. They were required to take on the tasks that were once considered predominantly male roles, and also allowed the opportunity to join the armed services as well as enlist in the Women’s Land Army. Many women who doubted their abilities played their part by entering voluntary work. Women had the privilege of contributing in Australian society in many ways that they had never been able before. Thus, it is manifest that the role of women in Australian society had drastically changed.

The status of women after World War II owes a lot to the waves of feminism and the women’s movement. The first wave of feminism took place in the 19th century, they formed a feminism group to campaign for the right to vote and become a politician. The second wave of feminism was most prominent in the 1960s and 1970s and was focused on gaining equality with men. These feminists wanted equality in all forms of work, the law, and general social standing. They targeted a larger range of aspects of life and the presented a wider challenge to the “traditional” ideas of women’s rights. This led to a massive change to the daily lives of mainstream Australian women.

WWII had a large impact on the lives of Australian women. As the men were away from their homes and daily lives fighting overseas, women were employed in jobs, got paid at higher rates than usual, became the important figure in the house and were enrolled in women’s army roles.

After years of Civil Rights Movements and Pay Equity Acts, as of 2014, women still only make 79 cents to a man 's every dollar. Although the wage gap has shrunk since the 1970’s, progress has recently stalled and chances of it vanishing on its own is unlikely. The gains that American women have made towards labor market experience and skills is tremendous. In fact, women account for 47% of labor workforce and 49.3% of American jobs. But despite of women’s strides, a gender pay gap still exists. Experts suggest that it will take 100 years to close the gap at the rate employers and legislators are working to create solutions. But by allowing women to work in higher paying positions and by proposing and updating pay equity laws, the gender gap can finally be diminished.

To identify, and describe the extent of, the international influences on the role, and lives, of women in Australia before, during and after World War One

Before World War 2 commenced, women 's roles in Australia were extremely different to now. The Australian government believed that women were not needed to perform in any sort of military service, however, once the war began it was thought otherwise (Ergo.slv.vic.gov.au, 2015). The roles of women changed significantly during this time, specifically around the 1940 's. The social, political, and economic rights for Australian women were all major changes made during this period of time (Awm.gov.au, 2015). This essay focuses on the role of women before and after these changes occurred, also the affect this made to society.

The experiences of Australian women in both World War 1 and World War 2 were similar but also different. WWI was fought from 1914 to 1918, and WW2 was fought from 1939 to 1945. These were the biggest military conflicts in the history of man. The main areas of change in Australian women around these times were employment, roles and positions in the war, and the attitudes towards women at these times. In WW1, the main occupation for Australian women was nursing. In World War 2, however, women were given the opportunity to do ‘a man’s job’ for the first time.

This investigation will attempt to answer the question: “To what extent did the two major woman’s contributions in World War II, the WAACS and nurses, undergird the women fighting for equal rights achieve their goals of economic and social independence in the job force, during the years following WWII?” This research question will allow for exploration on women involvement in the war and how involvement affected woman’s independence in the United States. This investigation will analyze women rights and war involvement from 1939 to 1964 when title VII was passed.

In the years after the Second World War, people created uncountable numbers of historiographical research on various topics related to the war, such as military tactics in battles, individual groups of men during their time in service, and other such subjects. Not much surprise exists then, that women’s actions in World War II eventually would also gain interest and publication for the public, though it did not gain an undivided focus until the advent of women’s and social history grew momentum. Women, despite being half of the world’s population, doubtlessly had acted during the war years, although limited by social gender expectations of the period. As time passes from 1945, more interest in the lives of women and their effect on the war

If you were born right now, this instant, at you’re present age without any knowledge about how women used to be treated, the assumption could be made that men and women are basically equal. Yes, men are a little stronger physically, but overall the two sexes are both equal. Things weren’t always so picturesque, though. Since people first settled here, on what is now the United States of America, women were thought of as inferior. Ever so slowly though, the men’s view on women began to change. The change started in the 1920’s but it was going slowly and needed a catalyst. World War II was that catalyst. So much so that women ended up participating in the rise of the United States to a global power.

Women’s involvement in society, especially political events, had increased significantly. In addition to this women have gained more responsibility in providing for their family as well as their own sexulaity. From WW2 onwards, society recognised that women could be helpful in improving the country economically by participating in political and social events as well as being employed in jobs that were originally overruled by men. Although women have been much more active in the workforce gender stereotypes are still as prominent as they were during The Great Depression. Men are still seen to be the dominant provider in the family and are expected to complete all the manual labour whereas women are are thought to be more domesticated and to be employed in jobs that involve minimal physical labour.

Prior to World War II, women made up only five million of the total workforce in Britain and were expected to leave their jobs permanently once married or after the birth of the first child, this was referred to as the “marriage bar”. Despite the passing of liberating acts, women were still seen inferior to men. However, the outbreak of World War II changed everything for women, and was the fundamental event that created more equality by increased women’s employment and status in British society.

Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, women have been fighting to reform society by fighting for equal rights to men. In 1914, many women worked, but jobs deemed “appropriate” were limited. They were restricted to low-paying jobs such as, domestic work, teaching, and low-skilled factory work. During WWI, women were not allowed to enlist into the army as soldiers, sailors, or pilots. They