Women's role during the Great Depression and during world war ll Essay

Women's role during the Great Depression and during world war ll - Essay Example Women served as nurses or teachers, cooks or cleaners. Some even ventured into men’s jobs. In such cases, discrimination was commonplace. Women were not deemed as clever or as physically strong as their male counterparts, and as a result, were often harassed, by their bosses and trade unionists. They therefore, had to fight to be taken seriously because their male counterparts were often very suspicious of their capabilities. It was a time for women to shine despite the discrimination they experienced. When no other men were available, women were given significant tasks that were originally assigned to men. They were initially trained to the same standard as men, but employers eventually didn’t want to hire fully trained women because they received better pay, which upset the trained male workers, causing friction in the workplace. Equal pay became a huge issue that women fought for and this even spurred the women’s liberation movement. Indeed, women made productive use of their time during the war. They were able to combine work, marriage and motherhood without seriously undermining their expected home responsibilities. A woman’s participation in the war effort did not doom conventional sexual divisions of labour while compensating her work with much needed payment without threatening her domestic duties. This multi-faceted role also gave her a feeling of personal importance which is mostly taken for granted by the people around her. The war was devastating for most people, taking the lives of their loved ones, destroying their properties and livelihood. Previously held values were put aside as morality took a plunge in the name of survival. It was a very emotional time for all, and women were tested of their emotional and physical strength to carry on despite all the hardships and challenges thrown their way. Most women proved themselves and have gained skills to they were able to use in various tasks.