Research Analytic Entry

Women have played a crucial role in the development of today’s society. For many years, women were expected to take care of the children as well as the home and attend to their husband’s needs when they returned home from work. Although women eventually began to enter the workforce, they were discriminated against and they were not given equal rights, due to their gender. If a man and a woman were to hold the same position in the workforce, the man would typically earn more money than the woman. In order to earn equality in the workplace, women joined organizations and movements to show that they would continue to fight for their rights. One very influential group that protested for women’s rights in the 1960s was called the National Organization for Women, also known as NOW. “NOW organized protest demonstrations and pickets of major organizations denigrating women. For instance, NOW was instrumental in making The New York Times stop printing a separate job section for women” (sex discrimination). This organization had the ability to make a very large impact on and change the way that women were being treated in the workforce. By stopping the print of a separate job section for women, NOW was able to diminish an aspect of discrimination against working women. The women who were members of NOW are truly showing that women are willing to come together and fight for a common cause. The women believe that they have the ability to perform just as well at a job as the men. However, they are being denied equal opportunities such as pay and education. If women had these opportunities, then they would be able to positively impact American society as a whole. During World War II, women were provided with more opportunities, thanks to the government. When the men went to war, the women were encouraged to join the workforce and take on the jobs that the men used to do, such as the production of cars and airplanes. During times of war, women were heavily relied on and they were given more equal opportunities. “Nevertheless, when victory was declared, the days of women working in traditionally male jobs came to an abrupt end. Women were laid off, and their jobs were given to the soldiers returning from the war. It appeared that women were a labor reserve that would be used only in times of crisis” (Rosie the Riveter). Even though women began to gain equality in the workplace, when the men came home, they automatically received their jobs back, regardless of their performance. Ultimately, at this point in time, women were not truly given equal rights in the workforce. While the men were at war, it may have seemed as though the women finally being given a chance to prove themselves in the workplace, but in reality, they were the government’s last resort. When the men returned home from war, instead of recognizing women’s abilities in the workforce, the men were given back their jobs. As a whole, this demonstrates that women were not truly considered to be equal to men and that in the workplace, men always had to upper hand over women. The only time that women were actually considered to be valuable in the workforce was when the men were at war and unable to complete their duties at home. Furthermore, Carrie Catt Chapman was a woman who worked to end discrimination against women. She was president of the National American Women Suffrage Association, where she led movements to try to end women suffrage. In her “Prejudice Against Women” speech, she stated, “The whole aim of the women movement has been to destroy the idea that obedience is necessary to women” (American Reader pg. 372). Not only have women been provided with unequal opportunities, but they also have had to obey men. By forming movements and protesting, women are showing that they are ready for a change and that they are no longer going to or willing to obey the men. Also, the women are demonstrating that they are ready to diminish the obedience that has been placed over them by men. This idea was put into action by Susan B. Anthony, when she went to the polls and voted, even though women were prohibited from doing so. However, she believed that nowhere in the Constitution did it prohibit women from voting. In response, “She was arrested, tried, and ordered to pay a $100 fine. She refused to pay the fine, and amid a storm of controversy, officials quietly dropped the matter” (Susan B. Anthony). This illustrates many women’s strength and determination in their fight for equality. Anthony did what she believed was right and she truly made a lasting impression on America as a whole. She motivated and encouraged women to fight for their rights and she tried to show women that they were capable of achieving great accomplishments. Overall, without the hard work and determination that many women brought to the table, women would not have gained as much equality, or their independence as well.