America Woman and their relentless efforts

Woman from 1970-today

About three decades after the Second World War to the present, the economy and society in America had many changes. Particularly, human rights and equal rights of men and women had been seriously. In fact, the late 1960s were years of protest and reform. Young Americans demonstrated against the Vietnam War. African Americans demonstrated for civil rights. Women demonstrated for equal treatment. The period of change came during the 1970s. In this era, people were also opposing the use of nuclear weapons, proposing world peace, and women gained the right to have abortions. Women were receiving more rights than they had in the past. Most women in the 1970’s were striving for a footprint in society and wanted to achieve more than just the standard household position. Women were fighting for the right of equality as men. This equality they were striving for would enable them to work in offices, classrooms, law firms, and science labs. The Feminist movement began in

 Movement for Vietnam’s woman and equality.

the 1960’s but carried over to the 1970’s gaining a larger audience. Women were beginning to stand up for what they believe in; they are demonstrating this by protesting and picketing. A handful of powerful women were supporting this movement with all force and were attempting to gain women’s equality. Strikes and picketing were the most popular form of demonstrating what women want. Majority of the strikes were directly aimed towards sexist laws and social equality. The movement was getting broader which in turn was giving women more opportunities to equality. With the gain of these job opportunities, women were still losing in the field of wage. There was still a huge gap in the wage of men to women, but has made minimal progress. Women were getting paid about 45% less than men for the exact same position in any field. The roles of women were beginning to change but they still have not achieved their goal, equality.

 Drastic shifts in sex roles seem to be sweeping through America. Between the start of the women’s movement in the 1960s and the beginning of the 21st century, women were entering the workforce in droves. At the end of the Second World War only 10 percent of married women with children under the age of six held jobs or were seeking them. Since then mothers of preschool children have thronged the job market: by 1985 the census had classified more than half of these young mothers as participants in the work force. In 1995, the average time mothers spent doing paid work jumped to almost 26 hours a week and the time spent on housework fell commensurately at 19 hours. Then the trend stalled. From 1995 to 2003, mothers, on average, spent about the same amount of time on household chores, but their work outside the home fell by almost four hours a week. In fact, according to the article “Woman in the Work Force”, the author George Guilder tried to say that “From 1972 to 1985 women’s share of professional jobs increased from 44 to 49 percent and their share of “management” jobs nearly doubled growing from 20 to 36 percent.” Currently women account for 47 percent of the labor force. This is a major increase from 1950, when women represented just 29.6 percent of the workforce. Now that there are more women in the workplace, they are in positions of leadership and even as CEOs. During the economic storm of 2009, women leaders proved they can be as tough, decisive and competitive as men. By 2020 the number of women in the workforce is expected to increase of 6.2 percent from today. If current trends continue, women will soon make up the majority of the U.S. work force. For four decades, the number of women entering the workplace grew at a blistering pace, fostering a powerful cultural and economic transformation of American society. Despite women’s advancements, however, substantial inequalities remain. Although an increasing number of women are either the sole breadwinner for their family or share the role with their partners, women in the United States are paid only 77 cents for every dollar a man makes. The pay gap is even larger for women of color. On average, African American women make 64 cents for every dollar that white men make.

The future apparently promises yet more blurring of traditional sex roles in the work force. Indeed, with a resurgence of feminism, young women also felt more empowered. According to the article “Why do women outnumber men in college”, the author David Francis said that “They had greater guarantees by the government that job discrimination by employers against women would not be tolerated. They anticipated a more even playing field with respect to men in terms of access to high-paying careers for college graduates and to professional and graduate college programs, the authors note. Since 1980, the wage premium for a college degree has risen, especially for women. Over a lifetime, many women have taken time out from work to look after their children full time. But more recently, their participation in the labor force has begun to resemble that of men.” According to a survey in the 1980s, half of all 1985 College graduates were women, and women are earning a steadily rising share of

Women were learning in College.

all advanced degrees, including close to one third of all degrees in law, business, accounting, and computer and information sciences. It is fairly well known that women today outnumber men in American colleges. In 2003, there were 1.35 females for every male who graduated from a four-year college and 1.3 females for every male undergraduate. That contrasts with 1960, when there were 1.6 males for every female graduating from a U.S. four-year college and 1.55 males for every female undergraduate. The female share of college students has expanded in all 17 member-nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in recent decades, so much so that women now outnumber men in college in almost all rich nations.

 

In 1971, to insure the equality of women’s rights and push back against suppression, violence, discrimination and stereotyping, a bill passed designating August 26th of each year as Women’s Equality Day. According to the article “Women’s Equality Day– History & the 21st Century”, Women’s Equality Day brings our attention to women’s continued fight for equal rights and the backing of the United States on this front. Indeed, American women would face opportunities, challenges, and sizeable hurdles over the last 100 years. Although, political, economic, and international forces will weigh heavily on women in the United States as they attempt to conquer key positions, great women have proven the capability and leadership of women. Examples of these range from Rosa Parks and Eleanor Roosevelt fighting for civil rights and equality to great scientists such as Marie Curie and Jane Goodall. The 1980s brought a significant number of “firsts” for women in the United State, including the first female Supreme Court justice, the first female astronaut, and the first woman to be included on a major ticket for the U.S. presidency. As you know, in 1983, astronaut and astrophysicist Sally Ride became the first American woman in space

Astrophysicist Sally Ride

aboard the space shuttle Challenger and Geraldine A. Ferraro, who shattered political barriers as the first female major-party nominee on a presidential ticket when she was chosen as the Democratic vice presidential candidate in 1984. According to the article “Geraldine A. Ferraro, first woman major-party candidate on presidential ticket, dies at 75”, President Obama praised Ms. Ferraro as “a trailblazer who broke down barriers for women, and Americans of all backgrounds and walks of life.”

Until now, the women are gradually improving their position in society. If you try to compare between the woman’s roles in the nineteenth century and today, it will be a big difference. It marks their relentless efforts. The woman needs the respects, so they fought, they are fighting, and they got it.

American woman: Employment-Education-Franchise

Woman from 1945-1970

The demonstration for woman’s equal right took place across America

The entry of the United States into World War II caused vast changes in virtually every aspect of American life. The role of men and women in society are very important. Millions of men and women entered military service and saw parts of the world they would likely never have seen otherwise. After the end of the World War II 1945 it became clear that women would play a more important role in society. They not only had played a significant role during the war but also had contributed in no small measure to winning the war. Beside, women who did not serve in the military had been “allowed” to do all sorts of things that had been “male” jobs and took care of their children. In this case, the blurring of gender roles was acceptable because it helped the war effort and kept the country moving forward.

However, according to the article “Woman’s roles in the 1950” by the author Nina Stoneham, “American women’s roles were greatly changed in the 1945s, with the men coming back from war and taking their jobs back. Women had, during World War II, taken men’s jobs while they had been away at war.” This also had happened following the First World War. In 1946, many women wanted to keep their jobs but they have been forced to leave the workforce. There were 4 million women were fired from their jobs. Beside, many women became wives and mothers. They started a family which meant that they were responsible for running the home and raising the children rather than seek new employment and the men became the sole providers for the family.

For the employment, according to the article “The 1960s-70s American Feminist Movement: Breaking Down Barriers for Women’’, the author tried to say that “In 1960, the world of American women was limited in almost every respect, from family life to the workplace.” The image of a typical 50s woman was a happy housewife who cooked the food, cleaned the house, and watched the children and for many women, work was a necessity, and they simply went back to the sort of low-paying jobs they’d held before the war. The American women really progressed in 1955s with finding new job opportunities and finding their place in society. It was not necessarily the role of the happy and obliging housewife. However, the author also said that “The 38 percent of American women who worked in 1960 were largely limited to jobs as teacher, nurse, or secretary. Women

The woman were working in the industry

were generally unwelcome in professional programs. Women accounted for six percent of American doctors, three percent of lawyers, and less than one percent of engineers. Working women were routinely paid lower salaries than men and denied opportunities to advance” (The 1960s-70s American Feminist Movement). In addition, industries were also segregated based on race with white women dominating the clerical, service, and sales positions. African-American women were mostly relegated to working as domestic servants and often performed physically demanding work for very low wages. Due to the role of the woman was not appreciated, many protests occurred. The feminist movement of the 1960s and 1970s originally focused on dismantling workplace inequality, such as denial of access to better jobs and salary inequity, via anti-discrimination laws. A group of feminists including Betty Friedan decided to found an organization that would fight gender discrimination through the courts and legislatures. Moreover, the different wings of the feminist movement sought women’s equality on both a political and personal level.

The woman were being taught in  a classroom

For the education, the number of girls who entered college dropped during the 1950s. Many women left college early to marry after the war and other women who did stay were not planning on working toward a job. In the 1950s, women felt tremendous societal pressure to focus their aspirations on a wedding ring. The U.S. marriage rate was at an all-time high and couples were tying the knot, on average, younger than ever before. Although women had other aspirations in life, the dominant theme promoted in the culture and media at the time was that a husband was far more important for a young woman than a college degree. They were planning on a quiet life after college with their husbands and tending house. If a woman was not engaged or married by her early twenties, she was in danger of becoming an ‘old maid.’

From 1940 to 1950, the number of families with three children doubled and the number of families having a fourth child quadrupled. American women lacked unobstructed access to safe and effective birth control pills in this period. In the 1960s, deep cultural changes were altering the role of women in American society. According to the article “The 1960s: A Decade of Change for Women”, the author Kenneth T.Walsh said that “By the end of the Sixties, more than 80 percent of wives of childbearing age were using contraception after the federal government in 1960 approved a birth control pill. This freed many women from unwanted pregnancy and gave them many more choices, and freedom, in their personal lives.” Gradually, Americans came to accept some of the basic goals of the Sixties feminists: equal pay for equal work, an end to domestic violence, curtailment of severe limits on women in managerial jobs, an end to sexual harassment, and sharing of responsibility for housework and child rearing.

For the franchise, following World War II, the United States experienced a number of Civil Rights movements that impacted the country. One group that felt the effects of this movement were women. Although the women’s movement had been around for decades, and had achieved great accomplishments such as the long-fought battle of women’s suffrage, from the mid 1950s to the early 1960s African-American women were

The woman were instructed to vote

increasingly marginalized and were in a difficult position, so there were still great gains to be made. Black women dealt not only with the sexism of being withheld the vote but also the racism of white suffragists. In some Southern states, African-American women were unable to freely exercise their right to vote up. However, these difficulties did not deter African-American women in their effort to secure the vote. It was not until 1960s, Black women were unified in their courage in the fight for equality. They helped win the vote for women to vote by circulating countless petitions, and speaking at churches and meeting houses. The role of the woman, both socially and economically, went through great revolution during the decades of the 1950s through the 1970s.

The Important Milestone

Woman from 1914-1945

               In this period, significant changes for women took place in politics, the home, the workplace, and in education. Some were the results of laws passed, many resulted from newly developed technologies, and all had to do with changing attitudes toward the place of women in society.  International Women’s Day is the result of long struggle of millions of women in the United States as well as those of women worldwide and the American history recorded that March is the month for women. Besides, there is one thing seems to never change in the lives of most women, that is the role of mother to their children. This may be seen as the vocation of women around the world. As you know, nearly 100 years ago, Anna Jarvis lobbied the US government established a holiday to pay tribute to mothers. To promote the things she wrote articles, presented at churches, sent a letter to government officials. With her perseverance, May 8, 1914, the US Congress passed a law published the second Sunday of May was chosen as Mother’s Day. Since then, Mother’s Day became an official holiday in the United States. Although there was some improvement in gender equality, the American women could be independent and make choices for themselves in education, jobs, marital status, and careers, the role of them in society was not properly appreciated in early twentieth century. It was treated unfairly and unequal gender urged women struggling to regain its legitimate rights.

The woman stay at home and take care their children

Men and women married for love and affection in the 1920s, which was almost unheard of 20 years before at the turn of the century. Married couples were much more likely to be openly affectionate with each other. But as the economy strengthened and more and more middle-class fathers gained respectable careers, they began to psychologically draw apart from their families. Many fathers embraced the role of the breadwinner and spent more and more time away from the home. These men knew best when it came to discipline and was still technically the head of the household, but women were the primary caregiver of the children and ran the house. The majority of women remained in the traditional role of housewife. Most Americans believed that women should not work outside the home if their husbands held jobs. As a result of this attitude, wives seldom worked at outside jobs.

However, according to the article “Woman in the 1920”, the author said that “The roles of women in the 1920s varied considerably, they also began working outside of the home for the first time, the number of working women increased by 25% as a result of the work they had undertaken during World War 1. Roles of 1920’s women in the workplace included factory workers, secretaries, sales clerks and telephone operators. The number of women attending college rose to 10% of the population by the end of the 1920’s.” In addition, in 1920s, the American women found their lives changed in more than appearance. Young women gained more freedom and rebelled in minor ways, including how they dressed and spoke. Working women became consumers of popular products and fashions. Women who would never tolerate the strong smells and stains of chewing tobacco or cigars began to smoke the new, and relatively clean, mild cigarettes. The young women in America with short skirts, short hair, noticeable makeup, and fun-loving attitude represented a new freedom for women.

Moreover, in the military, the role of women was also important. According to the article “World War II”, Women have served in military conflicts since the American Revolution, but World War II was the first time that women served in the United States military in an official capacity. Although women traditionally were excluded from military service and their participation in the Armed Forces was not promoted at the outset of World War II, it soon became apparent that their participation was necessary to win the war. Beginning in December 1941, about 350,000 women served in the United States Armed Forces, during World War II. They worked as typists, clerks, and mail sorters. Although these jobs may have been less glorified, women were essential in maintaining the bureaucratic mechanisms that are necessary in warfare. Also, one way that women participated in dangerous work was through their work in the Army and Navy medical corps. People can see that women’s participation in the US Armed Forces during World War II was a major turning point in the relationship of women to the military.

Although the role of women had slightly improved but there were still many outstanding issues. According to the article “Women’s History in America”, the author tried to say that “Women also had not greatly improved their status in other professions. In 1930 about only 2 percent of all American lawyers and judges were women. In 1930 there were almost no women engineers in the United States. In addition, for the most part women worked long hours for low wages in the 1930s. According to the Social Security Administration, women’s average annual pay in 1937 was $525, compared with $1,027 for men. The 1929 Wall Street Crash and economic collapse in the United States in 1932 caused women’s wages to drop even lower, so that many working women could not meet basic expenses.” Women workers also faced heavy discrimination and social criticism during the era as women were denied jobs in favor of men. They found enormous obstacles blocking their entry into certain fields. Women were often fired if the employer found out that she was married. Traditional labor unions continued to view women as temporary workers during the early 1930s. Also, most prevalent were sexist attitudes that blocked women from entering unions and allowing women workers to organize. In 1932 Congress passed the Federal Economy Act which had the effect of excluding a married woman from working in civil service if her husband did as well. It sounds very absurd.

The role of woman from 1914-1945 started with the positive changes although it was not very trenchant. However, it was the important milestone for the American woman,

Woman’s destination

Woman from 1866-1914

Besides the tremendous advances of science and technology, people also notice the significant changes in the position and the role of women to family and society during last period. The American women as well as the women in the world had to experience the powerful militant movements called the feminism movements. It was the women’s movement for the right to life, right to education and employment, voting rights, equal rights with men. The movement has freed women from the oppression, repression of social.

Due to the diversity of ethnic, racial and social groups in 19th century America, it is impossible to give one definition of women’s role in society at that time. But the role of women saw some development during this period of 100 years.

In fact, the American women in the late 19th century were dependent on men in life. They had no right to pursue a career of her choice. Job choices were sparse and clearly defined: nurse, maid, grade-school teacher. Most states barred women from owning property. According to the article “How Free Were American Women in the Gilded Age?” the author Bryan Caplan tries to say that “A married woman could not own property in her name, sign legal documents or enter into a contract, obtain an education against her husband’s wishes, or keep a salary for herself.” Even in marriage, many women were virtually enslaved and men were considered superior to woman in all ways, even in terms of morality.

The woman was stitching, take care her house and children.

According to the article “Birth Control and Sexual Freedom from 1865-1914”, Over the course of the 19th century, the average American woman gave birth to six children, this was not including children lost to stillbirths and miscarriages. During the 1860s women of lower classes had more children then the average upper class women because they were not aware of anything that could prevent pregnancy. In the early of 1900s, women’s legal standing was fundamentally governed by their marital status. They had very few rights. A married woman had no separate legal identity from that of her husband. She had no right to control her biological reproduction and no right to sue or be sued since she had no separate standing in court.” Though some women were content with being a stay at home wife others were looking for bigger and better opportunities. Some women were no longer looking to marry and start a family, but along with those dreams came a fight for equality and their rights to not have children. Birth control was a very touchy subject in the mid to late 1800s. Some studies in this time showed that sex as a primarily procreative activity and women as sexually passive.

At that time, The American women workers were profoundly affected by these social and economic conflicts. Across the nation, anywhere from 25 percents to 40 percents of the labor force was female, and by the end of the 19th century, most women workers were non-white. In 1905, the major occupations for women remained the same as they had been in the 19th century: agriculture, domestic service, manufacturing, clerical and office work, and professional work. Women still earned much less than men. It was about 60% of men’s average wages and the highest paid jobs available to women nearly always went to native-born, middle class women. The low wages, long hours, and poor working conditions women workers had faced in the 19th century intensified in the early 20th century, provoking a much more widespread women’s labor reform movement than ever before one which involved both working-class women and middle-class women concerned with their social welfare. This movement toward social and economic reform was so revolutionary that historians named the early 20th century “the Progressive Era.”

In addition, an issue that needs to be mentioned is domestic violence. Historically, legal and social traditions in the United States have permitted and supported the abuse of women and children by the male head of household. This historical phenomenon helps explain why women are the primary victims of domestic violence. It was considered the duty of males to control their households and property. Domestic violence was a form of private violence that considered inappropriate for “outsiders” to intervene in unless the problem reached extreme proportions. Although many laws that supported domestic violence were repealed in the early 1900’s, the violent and controlling behavior of men over their family continued to be tolerated and viewed as socially acceptable.

Photograph, Workers Packing Chipped Beef, 1910 (reproduction)

It can say that the women were born at that time is disadvantaged. Their rights are limited. The American women could not vote, serve on juries, or hold public office. According to the article “Woman’s Suffrage in the Progressive Era”, during the late 1800s and early 1900s, women and women’s organizations not only worked to gain the right to vote, they also worked for broad-based economic and political equality and for social reforms. Between 1880 and 1910, the number of women employed in the United States increased from 2.6 million to 7.8 million. Although women began to be employed in business and industry, the majority of better paying positions continued to go to men. In this time, women started to gain the rights to control their earnings, own property, and, in the case of divorce, take custody of their children. By 1896, women had gained the right to vote in four states were Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, and Utah. By the beginning of the new century, women’s clubs in towns and cities across the nation were working to promote suffrage, better schools, the regulation of child labor, women in unions, and liquor prohibition. It proves that the important role of woman started increasing; the woman could vote, they could have more benefits in society this time.

The woman’s day mark an important event in history.

Especially, because of the relentless struggle of woman right, there are two historic events happened from 1908 to 1910: The Women’s Political Union holds its first suffrage parade in New York City in 1910 and International Women’s Day was celebrated for the first time in 1908 March 8.

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My name is Luan Nguyen

I am from Vietnam.

I like soccer. My favorite team is Manchester United.

I also like food. I really miss Vietnamese food.

I want to make friends because i do not have a lot of friends in USA.

I have a dream that is i can travel around the world.

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