The roaring twenties, also called the golden decade by some scholars, saw an immense social, technological, and political change. Socially, there was heightened immigration of the African Americans from the South to the Northern cities looking for employment and escaping racial oppression. Furthermore, women made a significant step towards the fight for their rights during the same decade, with getting the right to vote after the enactment of the 19th Amendment (Shi & Tindall, 2016). Women equally relinquished the traditional gender roles and began pursuing sexual freedom, an idea that typically characterizes the roaring twenties. Clark (2016), a researcher of 20th-century women history, in the article “The Sexual Revolution of the” Roaring Twenties”: Practice or Perception?” explores the relentless struggle of women in the U.S. in pursuit of leisure and sexual freedom.
The author notes that even though the gender revolution is the most significant aspect of the decade, there were other notable changes in American society. Politically, the Republican Party boasted of having three presidents within the ten years after warren Harding won the 1920 election. Harding paved the way to Calvin Coolidge before Herbert Hover completed the decade and welcomed the Great Depression. However, the author maintains that before 1920, women assumed traditional roles in line with Victorian social norms. Women before the roaring twenties were caregivers with little or no involvement in politics or what was perceived as manly behaviors (Clark, 2016). Society did not allow women to have sexual freedom, pursue leisure, or political participation.
However, in the 1920s, women’s behavior evolved rapidly, giving rise to a changed woman willing to explicitly exercise and pursue gratification. Society was not ready for the new habits exhibited by women, which defied the social expectations. First, the sophisticated women abandoned the roles of the preceding generation and entered into activities and functions conventionally perceived as male-owned (Shi & Tindall, 2016). Even though the social norms were against open-minded women, 1920 girls were ready and willing to challenge the status quo. As a result, the ‘flapper,’ meaning young women with an unbiased approach to life, appeared. The author defines a flapper as a revolution of sexual morality that that was against the societal norms limiting sex within the confines of marriage only (Clark, 2016). At the time, women pursuing activities believed to be men-owned, such as smoking and alcohol drinking, was utter disrespect.
In Victorian society, sex before marriage was considered evil, the same way jazz influence was perceived. Although the new women defied conventional expectations, the most significant advancement of the 1920s women rebellion occurred in the fashion industry (Shi & Tindall, 2016). Modest outfits for young women diminished gradually as the ‘flapper style’ became popular among young girls. The new style involved wearing skimpy and short dresses, barely reaching the knees and exposing much of the legs and hands. Decorative accessories such as ornaments, make-up, bracelets, hats, and bags were introduced to complete a refined, tasteful, and uniquely feminine style (Clark, 2016). Thus, during the 1920s, women pursued not only economic freedom but also social and cultural independence.
In short, the roaring twenties was an era packed with changes that influenced American society in successive years. Importantly, women defied societal expectations and pursued freedom in all aspects, especially leisure and sex. The new woman known as the ‘flapper’ rebelled against traditional gender roles by engaging in activities believed to be done by men only. The women also introduced new fashion that further challenged social norms as the clothes worn were extremely revealing. Therefore, the economic boom of the decade allowed the emergence of an independent woman who began championing women’s rights and freedom.
References
Clark, S. (2016). The sexual revolution of the “Roaring Twenties”: Practice or perception? #History: A Journal of Student Research, 1(1), 7, 2−11.
Shi, D. E., & Tindall, G. B. (2016). America: A narrative history. WW Norton & Company.