What was the extent of change in the role and status of women c1939-1950?
During the 1940s to the 50s, there was a major change of attitude towards women of this age. In this essay, I will be examining how society saw women before, during and after the war and see if any significant changes were made. I believe that during the time of war, women experienced an extreme change to what they were used to. From housewives, mothers, teachers and nurses, women had the drastic change to join the war work. This made women feel self-confident, respected and dominant by playing their own role in the war. However, this quickly changed when the war ended and men would be put into their normal working hours. Women experienced change during the war but my thesis is that although this happened, the freedom of women was quickly diminished at the end of war.
Before the war began, a women’s place was already clearly defined to be in a home with children. It was only acceptable for women to have paid work when she is unmarried with no children. However, they were still paid less than men. Before the war, only 5 million women in the United Kingdom had paid employment, but were still expected to leave once they were married. Women would seek employment before the war and were often rejected. A married woman in 1939 experienced questions from the Town Hall about why she even wanted to work “First they said they did not want any more women, and asked why I wanted to work when I was married. At length, after 4 or 5 weeks they agreed to appoint me”. This reveals that before the war began, the government were still strict on women but in 1939, that all changed by employing her.
