The role of women changed considerably during the 20th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, women were considered homemakers – their sole role was tied closely to child bearing and rearing as well as doing all the house work and attending the sick in the family. This view of the woman was supported by almost everybody – from men, good wives and the government. Men at this point felt that a working woman means that her man is not providing enough therefore was a treat to her husband’s manhood. Women who found jobs in factories were paid a lot less than men, although they were doing the same job. Most of the women were occupying teachers, secretary and nursing positions. Unions were reluctant to protect women’s rights because initially they also believed that the woman’s place is at home. The government, although realizing that women were a significant and needed part of the labor force, did nothing to protect them. The way people viewed a woman’s role changed a lot during the 20th century. I will examine this change and will bring to light at least part of the difficulties that women who needed or wanted to work, were experiencing.
During the 19th century, the work that married women were doing was in the house. “When a husband was unemployed, sick, or simply not earning enough to balance the budget sewing, housecleaning, watching children and cooking could all be turned into marketable skills and a source of cash.” (Bradbury, 1993) To get paid a woman could do the laundry of other, wealthier families, and get paid for that. Some had learnt how to make clothes or were mending clothes. Others had their vegetable gardens and used to sell vegetables. Women got little pay but for some it was very important. Either because their husbands didn’t have a stable job and weren’t bringing money home on a regular basis, or because their husbands were careless and drank