The Women’s Right Movement

8/12/2019 The Womens Right Movement

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The Womens Right MovementBtissam Fanchaouy


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The Womens Right Movement in the 192 s

Before the 1920s, Womens life in

the United States was quite difficult

compared to what is today; however,the Womens right movement in the

1920s changed womens lives and

status in society. Wifehood and

motherhood were consideredwomens primary and most

significant job. They were also

considered inferior to men.


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after many years of long

struggle and hard work they

earned their freedom and

equality in the society, and

that brought a huge change in

their role and status too.

During the 1920s women

changed to flappers, and

women become a huge part inthe work force, voting, and

politics.

The Womens Right Movement in the192 s


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The flapper symbolized the women

rights movement. The term

described the women asrebellious, energetic, fun-loving

and bold (America Pathway to

the Present, 684t). For centuries

women wore long skirts. They

were often so long that they

draped on the floor



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However, this changed in the 1920s whenwomens clothes began to creep up to the

ankle and the bottom of the calf. The

shorter skirt became the potent symbol

for the changing roles of women. Until the

advent of the twentieth century, female

ankles and calves were hidden but the

flapper changed all of that. Moreover,

their waistlines dropped. The girls in teens

and in their twenties became the first to

wear short skirts, stating that they were

the New Women, no longer bound to

prewar values (Flapper skirts as feminist

symbols).



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The new women cut their hair short and their clothes

became shapeless. Their chest was as flat as a board

and they wore makeup and applied it in public. They

also started smoking, drinking and swearing and

characterized themselves as rebels (America, Pathway

to the present). Narrow boyish hips were preferred and

womanly curves were eliminated as clothes became

loose and unfitted. Slimness became important for

flappers, and they began to watch their weight and diet.

The new women lacked modesty, propriety and

womanly virtues.



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Not only did womens clothing change in the 1920s,

but they also started to work more outside theirhomes. Women before the 1920s had a hard timefinding jobs, as they were supposed to stay at homeand take care of children, do household chores, andprepare food. Even when they did find jobs, they werepaid with low salaries compared to men and got very

few hours for job. Many women turned to prostitutionbecause they had no other way of surviving (theWomen rights movement in 1920). The women rightsmovement however changed this greatly. It allowedwoman to have more working hours and higher pay.



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During World War 1, womenstarted working more outsidetheir homes and they moved to

higher paying jobs. Getting jobshelped women becausesometimes women had tosupport not only their childrenbut also their sick husbands.



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During the 1920s, about fifteen percent of thewage- earning women became professionals andabout twenty percent held clerical positions thepercentage of married women working increasedfrom twenty three percent of the total femalework force in 1920 to 29 percent in 1930(America Pathway to the present).



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Young women before the 1920s were usually educated untilthe ages of nine to twelve years - the only exception were girlsfrom the rich class who were allowed to have a highereducation. Lack of education also prevented many womenfrom getting good jobs with good pay; however, this changedafter the 1920s when women got equal rights to men.Furthermore, the 1920s movement also resulted in thecreation of the Womens bureau of the department of labor,formed in 1922, to collect information about women in theworkforce and safeguard to insure good working conditionsfor women.



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Although women suffrage movement had

begun in 1848 in the Women's RightsConvention in Seneca Falls,Women officially gotthe right to vote on August 26, 1920, after the19th amendment was ratified. This was one ofthe major breakthroughs contributing towomens equality. However, there were stillmany women who didnt vote during this timeperiod. "Women who were adults at that timehad been socialized to believe that voting wassocially inappropriate for women," said Susan J.Carroll, senior scholar at the Center for

American Women and Politics (1920, womenget the vote). People believed that womenshould not vote because they werent smartenough to make the right decisions.



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Therewas also this view that if women began to take part inpolitics then they would stop getting married. However, afterthe 19th amendment, women began asking for more rights toequal wages. Moreover, 1920 brought new cultural innovationthat brought their focus from politics to the society; thisincluded new fashions and trends. The political and socialchange sought by suffragist changed women roles in societygradually.



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The Womens Right Movement in the

1920s

The tremendous hardship of womenfinally led to their huge change insociety during the 1920s. This was thebeginning to their equality in society.Women of this century faced theirhardships and overcame the obstacles oftheir lives. We women of today wouldnot be anyone without their huge

contribution. Womens lives would be somuch different if not for the womenwho fought for their rights to freedomand liberty.

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The Women’s Right Movement