Describe the Role and Status of Women in the 1940s and 1950s Essay

afterward(prenominal)(prenominal) the starting signal World warfare wowork force had gained a huge step towards having comparison with hands. In 1918 married wowork force either over the age of 30 were accustomed the right to vote. During the war wo workforce had turn erupt themselves as capable as custody, not only as nurses near the forward lines working(a) in very spartan positions but also moxie in Britain working to attend the war run in jobs that before the war they could neer have even had a fortune of getting.However wo men were still a farsighted way of having any vague stirity with men, and when the men returned from war things changed as men were still considered far above women. Although it had got worsened since the end of the war it should be recognised that womens role in society had been greatly better since the days before the First World War.During the Second World War humansy of the men were conscripted to go out to war. This meant that the ir jobs direct demand to be change in order for the coun crusade to work., women got jobs in all(a) areas of employment from working in manual labour to working in banks. They also managed to prove that they could do the jobs solely as well as men and were able to work in jobs that had previously been for men only.Gaining all these new jobs had been a huge leap towards women gaining equality with men, however when the men returned from war well-nigh if the women muzzy their war time jobs. This happened because of a calculate of reasons. Firstly, public opinion in oecumenical believed that the soldiers who had been fighting deserved to fuck off back to jobs and not have to struggle with unemployment. withal nigh bosses of baseborn and lifesize companies matte up that men were still better and didnt compliments to employ women over men.A women who had worked as a welder during the war years was told, Oh my goodness, youve got the ruff qualifications that we ever had apply for the job, but your a fair sex, and I wonder what the boys would say if I employed a woman A newspaper editor was told when she was reject,Oh its nothing misemploy with your work, but we have to safeguard the episode and the successor has to be a man.Bosses who were taking this line, and most of them were were infact taking and supporting(a) the politicss line. The governments official line said it is undoubtedly true that thither are numerous jobs done during the war by women for which men are better suited, both mentally and physically. And, if there is to be a terra firma in the future, there must be children and children mean homes and endless chores. So that there must naturally be a drift back from the services and the factories to interior(prenominal) work.I believe that this is showing that men and the government (dominated by men) were showing an incompetency to realise that women were able to do the jobs that men traditionally did. So although women had again gained a further step towards equality after the war they had again lost any(prenominal) of that newly gained freedom when the war cease in 1945.However not all women were displeased at societys attitude as after the war many women precious to start families and nowadays the men had come back from the war they were able to do this. The evidence for this lies in an area cognize as the baby boom, when the birth judge soared dramatically after the war.Even after the war when women were gaining more equality with men they did not have equal buy off rates as men. A woman doing the same amount of work as a man would be gainful two thirds of what a man would be paid. Women didnt, understandably find this fair and in August 1943 them women who worked at a Rolls Royce milling machinery went on strike and after a week on strike they were given equal pay. However all over the rest of the country women continued be exploited by societies views.Even the government were not willing to even deal about women being equal to men. When distaff schoolhouse teachers asked for equal pay with men, Churchill dismissed their demand with one word. Even though now he was falling out of favour with the people and was soon to overlook the general election, it showed that about men and in incredibly important positions within society, had no respect still for womens role in society. This meant that their situation remained below a mans status even though in some cases they had become more equal, such as the right it do certain types of jobs. in the lead 1948 the government offered no medical supporter to women or their children only a small amount to men. In 1942 the Beveridge report was produce which illustrated the importance of setting up a Welfare accede which would look after all citizens equally. In July 1948 the National health Service Act and the National policy Act were introduced for a weekly honorarium by all people earning wages. This was a huge advanc e for womens equality and their space in society as it now make them equal. In the first hardly a(prenominal) months thousands of women went to the NHS to be treated of illnesses that they had previously had to last in silence.The introduction of the Welfare State also brought about the Butler procreation Act. This meant that the minimum age to leave school was now raised to fifteen for all children. This was another huge advance for girls in school as it meant that there was now not only had free secondhand education, and therefor this meant that the government recognised girls efficacy to thrive within a working and intellectual environment. It also meant that they were being purge on the same level curriculum and being given equal opportunities in schools as boys, which would then go onto to meat the whole generations and its way of dealing with women as equals.However the system was slightly foil and it was not entirely equal. When pupils went up into lowly schools th ey had to take an 11+ exam to go over which type of school they would go in to. There were three different types, grammar for the most academic, secondary modern and technical for pupils who would be more suited to manual and prime sector jobs. Although the system seemed to give equal opportunities for both girls and boys there were infact more grammar schools for boys than there were for girls.The Welfare State also introduced family allowances to try and deal with poverty among families with a large numbers of children. It meant that for each child a small payment was paid to the women to help keep the child. This meant that the women now had some maneuver over the finances within the dwelling house and that the man could not just go out and spend the money needed for the children.I believe that in the mid-forties and 50s womens role in society improved greatly and that there were huge leaps made towards equality. However there were still some major issues that still had not b een opinionated and needed to be if there was difference to get equality between men and women