Women had no lawful individuality aside from their spouses before the twentieth century. Females’ biological role, ‘to give birth to and maintain for progeny,’ was thought to be their sole and primary responsibility (Corbett et al., 2017). Because women were considered physically weak, they were not permitted to do labor-intensive toil. While men were exposed to a wide range of career options, women were restricted to occupations linked to the household. Women ran the family, performing their domestic work and childcare while overseeing the retainers who cleaned, cooked, and ran errands (Corbett et al., 2017). Women were sometimes not allowed to leave the house for any reason unless their husbands permitted them.
Industrialization brought new work chances, new ideas about labor, and boom-and-bust financial cycles. Females’ roles shifted intensely throughout this time, and they were redefined due to industrialization and increased new chances as industrial salary earners. Women’s empowerment was on the rise during this period, and there was a significant push for women’s rights (Corbett et al., 2017). Textile mills, coal mines, and factories were among the places where they found work. Women became economically self-sufficient as a result of this. They could survive and pay their bills without the help of men. Although women were employed, marginalization remained a problem, and while performing the same tasks as their male counterparts, women were paid less. Since the output is unaffected by sexual orientation, this was a step back.
The Progressive Era was a pivotal period in women’s reform and marked the beginning of the feminist revolution. Regarding women’s sexual freedoms, the birth control movement was one of the most important movements. Women also advanced in the industry and gained more jobs during the Progressive Era. Social, political, and governmental reforms were used to achieve this. The 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote during this period (Corbett et al., 2017). The Women’s Suffrage movement demonstrated that women were capable of standing up for themselves.
Reference
Corbett, P. S., Janssen, V., Lund, J. M., Pfannestiel, T. J., Vickery, P. S., & Roberts, O. (2017). US history. OpenStax.