Women Move into the Workforce: WWII

A very important factor that played into the Feminist Movement was WWII. Once America became involved in the war it turned all of its efforts towards winning the war, meaning there needed to be a working force in the factories while the men were at war. This meant the women had to be the ones working. By the women being the ones holding up the country while the men protected it, they showed the world that most stereotypes of women were wrong and that the women were capable of working just as well, if not better, than men. By having this large workforce of women enter jobs and do just as well as the men did, the women’s role within the family changed as they became able to support their families. This also caused for the women to begin demanding equal pay as men because they proved that they could do just as well. Their wish was granted on June 10, 1963 when it became illegal to pay a woman less just for being a woman. Even though this law was passed women are still paid less on average than men.