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Women's Roles In The 1940s Essay

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Women's Roles In The 1940s Essay
Ever since the beginning, women have been downgraded. Many people ask the question why? Well, many people have thought that women cannot do the things that men can. Which later proves to not be true at all, as women believed they can do anything they put their minds to. With America's involvement in World War II, there was a change to women's roles. Women at the time may have not seen it but they were planting the seeds for the rebirth of feminism in the 1940s. (Writer, Leaf Group. “Feminism During the 1940s.” )
In the year 1942, women were not allowed to serve in the military except as nurses and during that time approximately 350,000 women served during the war (Writer, Leaf Group. “Feminism During the 1940s”). Each branch of the service had its women’s auxiliary consisting of the Women’s Army Corps (WACS), the Navy Women’s Reserve (WAVES), the Coast Guard Women’s Reserve (SPARS), the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve and the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) (“Societal Roles and Expectations through the 1940's-50's.”). Soon after, women were starting to replace men in certain jobs. For example, holding the positions as office workers and gunnery instructors. In addition, many trained new pilots, flew transport planes and also …show more content…
The image of Rosie the Riveter saying “We can do it!”, symbolized that women were recruited to fill critical jobs in the defense industry. With women working, they felt important and that they were being valued. However, it was not always easy, as many experienced discrimination from factory owners, who reclassified their jobs as lower-paying, “female” jobs. Many women then started to become active in labor unions. After the war, men came back to reclaim “their” jobs; some women were happy about returning to the kitchen. While others continued their union work and later transitioned to women's organizations (Writer, Leaf Group. “Feminism During the
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