Paper Example on Attitudes to Womens Roles in the Workforce

Introduction

This work seeks to examine different period and generational metamorphoses in attitudes directed toward women's work and family roles in the three historical periods. There have been tremendous changes in the past eras that have seen working women being acknowledged and the providence of same tasks for mothers in the workstation between the 1970s and the 2010s. Notably, remarkable changes took place between the 1970s as well as the late 1990s (German 39). In that, attitudes towards working women transformed to become more egalitarian in the mid-1970s and the trend continued to increase during 2000s and the 2010s. This work will present hierarchical linear modeling evaluates focused towards the effects of the period and the generational peak in egalitarian among the women. Therefore, legislatures should acknowledge that the support for working women has become a substantial majority position in America and the world at large; in the view of that, they need to establish programs for working families.

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Progressive Period (Modern Times, a Nous La Liberte)

Looking at women activists of the Progress Era, it is evident to notice the problems of the period and the growing role of women in public life. In the 1890s, American women were viewed as a significant aspect that enhanced social reforms. A majority joined civic organizations and expanded their roles from home functions to more significant issues concerning their environments and communities. Progressiveness was not only a single movement, but it was various organizations of individuals trying to attain their objectives. This duration was characterized by multiple social advancements that later came to be termed as the Progressive Era (German 129). During this period, millions of Americans established associations that was tasked to offer solutions to the various problems that the society was experiencing especially among the American women. Women started fighting against the policies that were against them such as being denied the right to participate in the voting process and many more.

Despite this era lasting for only a few decades long, different things were achieved during that short duration. As a consequence, today women are free to exercise their rights just like any other citizens. This is significant as a result of the various struggles that were conducted during the progressive historical era to shape public policy and develop institutions as well as changing the government and politics. It is also vital to record that; there are minimal cases of child labor and the women's suffrage in the modern world. Today they enjoy minimum wage and maximum working hours for women and development of public health programs that are meant for pregnant women. Therefore, women are treated with respect, and they are considered to be critical breadwinners who are determined to work hard to support themselves as well as aid in taking care of the family.

World War II Era (Citizen Kane, the Fountainhead)

In different ways, the issues related to women employment opportunities during WWI was still present even during the WWII. The employer and the government were still circulating the same stereotypes about women's ability and capacity to take part in various roles that were believed to be specifically for men irrespective of their achievements in wartime commerce during WWI. Essentially, trade unions began raising concerns about men's salaries being cut down and eventually they were guaranteed that the women's wartime tasks were not permanent (Jefferson 115). However, the demands of the wartime economy won for the second time during this era. As a consequence, the government enrolled single women at the age of 20-30 as auxiliaries to the Army and war establishments. Thus, propaganda leaflets motivated women to take part in the war effort.

These illustrations depict that, World War II offered extraordinary opportunities for American women to get employment opportunities that had never been experienced before, especially in the defense sector. It was recorded that, approximately 350,000 women were employed in the armed forces during the WWII era (Jefferson138). Today, there is no cultural resistance to women working in a male-dominated industry, unlike the situation during the WWII. Our mothers, sisters, and daughters are being conscripted in factory and military jobs. Consequently, as a result of this fighting era that was encountered in WWII, women are today flocked to work in various civil service jobs. For instance, some work as engineers, designing weapons for the war and chemists. As such entails, hundreds and thousands of women who were enrolled to work on the Manhattan project which was given the task of creating the atomic bomb.

Post-War Period (Nine to Five, Glengarry Glen Ross, Mad Men excerpt)

The achievements accomplished during the WWII enhanced transitory since women were released from men's work to provide an opportunity for the returning servicemen. The post-world war re-establishment effort fostered the need for a comprehensive labor force urgent that would ensure there was sustained economic growth after the WWII. In the late 1940s, women were reinvigorated to join or stay in the labor market due to the labor shortages that was experienced (Jefferson 178). Thus the demand for job enhanced the creation of job opportunities especially to the women who worked as midwives, clerical staff, and cleaners. Regardless, of the increase in the level of women's employment, during post world war duration, females were still perceived to be "Secondary workers." In that women's salaries were not considered to be of significant use to families, preferably it was believed that women's wages were meant to be used in other cheap expenses such as new consumer durables or holidays.

After this era, women's trade organization membership has increased tremendously putting into consideration that during Post World War era the unions were being controlled by the white men. Therefore, the people in charge of running these unions appeared to despise women by failing to prioritize the demands made by both non-white members and the women. Subsequently, after the two wars, women gained the freedom to develop their own lives and sense of self-realization. Thus the increase in freedom also implies the increase in the aspect of equality. Today, women can work in all the fields in the state such as farmers, drivers amongst many others. In other words, the life of women is now changing since women can make their own money and they enjoy the freedom doing with it what they please. Thus they became more independent since they learned through the most laborious way on how to stand on their two feet and defend themselves.

Research Findings and Implications

Aside from the settlement house, cars amongst other benefits, it is evident that women have worked on various social initiatives to attain the freedom they are enjoying today. During the past three historical events discussed in this work, it is noted that a majority of women believed that they could provide more aid by boosting the efforts of working women. In that, through this approach, women empowered themselves through collective bargaining. Nonetheless, unionizing women was discovered to be a tough challenge since the general public treated them as marginal workers as opposed to significant breadwinners (German 187). As a consequence, women started working as volunteers for various establishments. Nonetheless, they advocated for the government bodies to institute protective working policies that would eradicate long working hours for women and the youths. The implications of these findings indicate that women are today a permanent section of the waged workforce and the union association. However, most of the women's tasks remain undervalued and low paid generally. There are still cases of women attitudes in places of the workplace, both inside and out due to the past stereotypes.

Conclusion

Conclusively, this paper has illustrated the emergence of seeing women employment as a social challenge or problem from the various historical occurrences that have been discussed. Thus, the picture painted by society during those three eras triggered women to develop the desire of enjoying equal pay with men especially when their jobs entailed the same level of skills. As a result of multiple campaigns and resistance from women, the vast majority of modern women today have already been in the workforce for the most part of their lives. Thus, the achievements of the past periods have long-term effects with broader visions of equal rights. Evidently, this essay has depicted a glimpse at the manner in which women fought to bring reforms in the community as well as changing the ideas concerning the roles of women. The various concerns of these women mirror several elements of the social unrest that was present during those periods. Nonetheless, it also reflects the comparison between where women are now in the 21st century and how they were then.

Works Cited

German, Lindsey. How a Century of War Changed the Lives of Women: Work, Family and Liberation

Jefferson, Robert F. Fighting for Hope: African American Troops of the 93rd Infantry Division in World War II and Postwar America. The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008, pp. 1-245. Pluto Press, 2013, pp.1-240.