In the 1940's World War 2 brought about many sociological changes in the United States. The war itself depleted the manpower within the US factories and the result was that women, formerly confined to housework, making babies and caring for children were suddenly asked to serve their country in a new way. They were asked, no encouraged, to go to work outside of the home. They put down their aprons, diapers and spatulas and picked mechanics tools and rivet guns. "Rosie the Riveter" became a popular poster of the day. By the thousands, women went to work.
Some were reluctant to leave the comfort zone of family and wondered if this was truly something they should be doing. There were others that secretly thought it was wonderful and looked forward to an exciting challenge with anticipation.
The war ended. The men came home. No problem. Right! Big problem! The men automatically got their jobs back and the "little woman" got unceremoniously shooed back home to be barefoot and pregnant. And, as is typical, there were millions of pregnancies right after the soldiers returned. This is where the baby-boomers came from.
Into the 1950's women did not forget that paycheck. They liked having "their own" money. Many women that happened to stay in the workforce noticed something very important. The mens jobs that they had been doing (and doing well) suddenly they were off limits to these frail creatures. And, in a heartbeat, women became unable to do a man's job. They were being relegated to low paying clerical jobs that were more fitting for a woman. That had to have been a whopping slap in the face to women who had been welders, pipe fitters and machinists. Sheesh, ladies, did you really think you were going to keep those jobs when the men came home? I mean, after all, you were just helping the men out until they could come back to work. Right?
Women who were now widows and trying to support a family on a reduced pay were hardest hit. Suddenly they were living below the poverty level, losing their homes and facing life in desperate need. Women are tenacious and will support their family even if it means getting married to do so. Many did find another husband to support them and their children. Poverty with 3 or 4 children or marriage? That was the choice for many women.
Not much changed until the mid 1960's. There was no legal recourse for women who were passed over for promotion because they were women and there was no recourse for them when they were denied employment because it was a "man's" job. Women had trouble getting bank loans, buying a car, buying a house, opening their own business and anything else, unless they had a man to cosign for them. In some areas it was difficult for a woman to own property.
Coming of age in the 1960's, I know what happened. I was denied acceptance to a local University because I wanted to go into nuclear physics and they told me the University only accepted applications from women for teaching and nursing. No, I was not applying out of state and that was in 1967 not 1867. I worked and saw that there were discrepancies within the workforce between men and women. The assumption was that a woman would wind up getting married or pregnant, leave the workforce and was therefore unreliable.
There were and always have been that woman who excelled and overcame discrimination in spite of what men and other women thought of her. Amelia Earhart, Madame Curie, Ruth and Esther of Scripture, Lottie Moon (missionary) and thousands of others that pursued their dreams regardless of social acceptance. That is still a small percentage of women throughout history that are that strong and obsessed by their dream.
Most women just take it until they have had enough and in the 1960's most of them had quite enough. Many men, particularly older men, thought it was funny. The bra burnings were just a symbol of their frustration of being confined to their special place in society. They did not want to be viewed as baby factories and relegated to the kitchen and the bedroom and the children.
One day we woke to find that women were wanting to be equal to men. Unfortunately, many of us did just that. We started smoking publicly (real ladies did not do that). We took off the gloves and the pill box hats of the 1950's along with our bras and anything else we damn well pleased to, anywhere we wanted to do so. We could show anything at anytime and dare a man to look at it or want it or say anything about it. We could say "NO!" and men had to listen to us. We could smoke, drink, cuss and fart just like men.
Was that stupid or what?! Ladies, we were like sheep led to the slaughter. We rocked and rolled right into the abyss. Here we are. Welcome to the asylum!
In my next article, I will dive into the aspects of today's moral morass, that quicksand we call enlightened values and look at where the past 40 years has taken us, if we can see through the rose-colored glasses.
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