The Changing Role of American Women In the 1920s
Marked by a period of economic prosperity in the United States, the role of women underwent a substantial change in the 1920s. They gained social and economic freedom that they had never experienced before in the American history. American Women in this period set a course for the rest of the women in history and created a precursor for the concept of a modern woman.
Women’s Suffrage Movement
For the first time in history, voting in the United States was not limited to sex in 1920. A contributor of the Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science felt that "women have successfully stepped from social life into the political realm". (Freedman, 1974) However, their new freedom were met with criticism and hostile views. Their political abilities were questioned regarding to their first time voting in the 1920 election for their worser usage of the ballots compared to men (376).
Social and Cultural Changes
“Sexual freedom, as enhanced by Sigmund Freud, the automobile, and Hollywood. Changes in fashion were signs of deeper changes in the American feminine ideal.” -Freedman 1974 in paraphrasing Allen in Only Yesterday, 97-109 [1]
The changing views of women in the decade gave rise to a new breed of women called the “flappers”. The new woman seeks equal opportunities between men and women. She has her own views about family and marriage. Self-fulfillment and pleasure seeking became the primary goals of the new woman. Because the transition from the Victorian Era to the Roaring Twenties was a dramatic one, older generations who were raised in the morally strict Victorian Era saw the new generation of women who had looser morals and great sexual freedoms as inappropriate and concerning.
Education and Professions
The decade is met with a profound high school graduation rate and college enrollment. This significant number was especially profound in the Western United States. The growing technological demands were in need of high school educated workers.[2] Many young women began enrolling in post-secondary institutions upon high school graduation to meet the demands. Colleges accepted admissions from female students with the exception of some universities like Harvard University that refused to admit female students in their law and medicine schools. [3]
An increasing number of women entered the labour force. In the 1920s, women took up a much more variety of professions than women did before them, ranging athletes and scientists to Marxists and reformers. Teaching remained the the dominant career path for women in this decade who had made significant contribution to education. The top three degrees that women earned were in nursing, librarians and teaching. By the end of the 1920s, the clerical sector was more than 52 percent filled by women. The work typically were associated with type writing and organizational tasks that were considered docile, and less ambitious. The gender role spillover effect(psyc paper about spillover) was observed as the traditional female role fit the role of clerical workers in the workplace. Eventually the large number of female clerical workers gave rise to a new gender stereotype of women. This is especially true of the stereotype of secretary which shared similarities between the role of a wife at home because the secretary was supposed to “think with her employer, think for her employer, and think of her employer” [4] Calverton's 1929 survey has found that discrimination against female workers were high and especially pervasive in married women workers. (calverton 1929) However, more married women were welcomed in the workforce by the end of the decade as firms desired for more stable workforce. [5]
Notable People
In the decade of change, some individuals set out to be one of the first in the history of women. Many women pioneers have made profound changes and became notable for their achievement in history.
- Amelia Earhart -First female aviator to successfully fly over the Atlantic Ocean
- Georgia O'Keeffe -Artist who is known for her unique modern art styles
- Bessie Smith -One of the most notable Blues singer in the United States
- Helen Willis -Professional tennis player who have held the top position in Women's tennis for nine years in a row
References
- ↑ Freedman, E. B. (1974). The new woman: Changing views of women in the 1920s. The Journal of American History, 61(2), 372-393.
- ↑ Goldin, C. (1994). How America graduated from high school: 1910 to 1960(No. w4762). National Bureau of Economic Research.
- ↑ Freedman, E. B. (1974). The new woman: Changing views of women in the 1920s. The Journal of American History, 61(2), 372-393.
- ↑ Brown, D. M. (1987). Setting a course: American women in the 1920s. Twayne Publishers. Eighty percent of these workers were young single women.
- ↑ Brown, D. M. (1987). Setting a course: American women in the 1920s. Twayne Publishers. Eighty percent of these workers were young single women.