How has the role of women in society changed from the 1950’s and what has contributed to this change?
Halle Craig
1,504 Words
Honors US History, Kevin Keely
Douglas County High School
May 2010
A. Plan of Investigation
How has the role of women in society changed from the 1950’s and what has contributed to this change? Themes of this investigation would be society’s reaction to the changes in the roles; they would also be of how women kept making the changes more radical. The main method of investigation is to research the reaction of society and the incredible expectations set on by men.
B. Summary of Evidence
* Women were expected to marry right after high school or college
* If women weren’t married by their early twenties or thirties they were considered an ‘Old Maid’.
* Image was created that women wo9uld be feminine and thought greatly of a capitalist democracy.
* An unmarried pregnant woman was unacceptable and completely frowned upon. These girls were often sent to wayward homes or extremely distant relatives to be taught to be proper.
* There were strict standards for Mothers to be the man’s vision of ‘perfect’
* “Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people”
* “The ‘perfect woman’ demonstrated a new blend of sexuality, ignorance, and naive, which was all over the media.”
* In the 1950’s women gave up their dreams and became mothers immediately after high school instead of going to college.
* Without college, less than 40% of professional jobs were taken by women throughout the 1950’s
* Today women have more opportunities to do things with their lives.
* “They are still the caring provider and nurturer of young infants and children, the comforter for the crying child and the feminine presence of the household.”
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