How a Lack of Men Propelled Women’s Activism in Canada during the First World War While World War I was one of the deadliest conflicts in history that tore countries apart internationally, it was also an event that paved the path for women’s rights through unity and change. World War I began on Jul 28, 1914 and lasted through Nov 11, 1918. In a time where women were not even considered persons under the law, the changes brought upon by the world war led to changes socially, politcally, and economically for women in Canada. World War I had a significant impact on women that was both long-lasting and consequential, providing them with more social and political power and higher economic status. Socially, women were given more opportunities and roles in society as they took over jobs that were unoccupied due to men heading overseas to fight in the war. For women, there was an increased participation in the workforce, especially in industries previously dominated. This was due to the labour gap created from men leaving the workforce to fight on the front lines. People were initially hesitant to assign these jobs to women, but as the war progressed and …show more content…
With the absence of men on the homefront, there were increased employment opportunities for women. Aside from social recognition and political rights, with the income women were now able to generate, they gained greater financial independence. Furthermore, this increase in income was further amplified with the increased demand and lessened supply of labour. While still unable to obtain the same wages as men, women earned comparatively more than before. The legacy of women's increased autonomy and control over financial resources resulted in significant advances in women's empowerment and a challenge to societal gender norms that continues to this
So once the men were sent off to war the women stepped up to the paid jobs such as policing, clerks, farmers, e.g. Ladies were suddenly in high demand to work on the land, transport, in hospitals and most significantly in engineering. Female employment rates increased dramatically during
Women contributions to the workforce rose from 24% in 1914 to 37% in 1918. Women had to take over all of the men’s jobs, the physical and financial burden of caring for families. These jobs included farming, deliveries, weaponry work, printing, teaching and shop assistants. The years during the war 1914-1918 were extremely busy and stressful for both the women and the children. Women’s organisations became very active during the time of the war.
In more detail, this book provides us with knowledge on specific events through time that women faced on their way to gender equality. Major arguments in this book include, struggle with the law, war, social change, demographic change, making a living and the continuation of change. Marsden provides evidence to support each one of these arguments using critical analysis of information. She explains to readers the significance of this specific aspect in Canadian history, especially for women. This book not only provides us with more knowledge on the journey that women went through to achieve equal rights, it also shows us how far women have gone to accomplish gender equality and how much further we still have to
Not only were the women recruited into the old jobs vacated by the men, who had gone to fight in the war, but new jobs were also created as part of the war effort. The government’s attitude towards female employment at first was negative as they were reluctant to allow the women to do any jobs left by the men. This later changed, as the government began pushing forward the idea of employment of women through campaigns and recruitment drives. Working as railway guards and ticket collectors, buses and tram conductors, postal workers, police, firefighters and as bank tellers and clerks, women began to change the concept of what was before deemed as ‘men’s
The jobs the women did during the war helped them provide for their family because they were getting paid as oppose to having a traditional job and not getting paid a dime. The jobs they had to do were difficult and hard at times but they did their best they could do, and although they didn’t get paid as much as men they still worked harder than ever. They wanted to show that they can do anything a men can do, they wanted to show that they can make a difference in the world. The women got a chance to show their abilities and
The birth of the first association fighting for women's rights in Canada symbolized the beginning of women's fight for their right to vote. A forum for women to pursue their intellectual interests. A clear goal was set to gain the right to vote. Set the stage for a series of feminist movements that
However, with the outbreak of war and men being drafted into the military, women were called upon to fill the void in the workforce. Women took up jobs that were traditionally seen as "male" jobs, such as factory work and construction. This newfound sense of independence and self-sufficiency fundamentally changed the social landscape in America. Women felt empowered and capable of contributing to society in a meaningful way. As a result, after the war, women continued to work and contribute to the workforce, paving the way for advances in women's rights and the feminist movement.
In 1939, no one thought that women, who weren 't even considered people decades before, would have such a massive impact in the Second World War. Canadian women 's contribution to the war effort, and their role at the home front and overseas had greatly increased since the previous, devastating First World War. The Second World War brought change to Canadian women on an unpredictable scale, though their volunteer work, paid labour force, and their contributions in the armed forces. Surely without the contributions made by the Canadian women, Canada and her allies would not have been as successful as they were. By far, the prime contribution made by Canadian women to the war effort came through their unpaid labour as volunteer work.
During the Second World War, after many of the men left to join the battle overseas, women were once again given the task of running the nation, and in order to do so they took over traditionally ‘masculine’ jobs, such as working in munitions bunkers, and on farms. By doing so, women were able to keep the economy running, which helped pay for war efforts and even provided the nation with more jobs. Contrary to WWI, women were now encouraged to take on more jobs directly related to the ongoing war. For instance, on the home front, an approximation of 35 000 women were working in munitions factories, making the artillery for the soldiers. Not to mention, for the first time in Canadian history, new positions in the military such as Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service (WRENS) and the Women Division (WD) in The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) were created so that women were able to contribute more towards the war efforts.
Women in Canada have struggled for many years to redefine the roles they play in society, demanding justice and equality. These efforts yet continue to occur through politics, economics, law, and literature, all to gain formal equality. Women eventually turned to feminist literature realizing that legal, political, and institutional modifications will not assist them entirely in the fight for egalitarianism (The Canadian Encyclopedia). The sciences continue to be more male dominated, expecting a fewer number of women to write traditional science fiction literature.
Canada had huge developments in the 20th century, such as increasing its population, economy, and industries (S. C. Government of Canada). However, equality had a huge impact in making Canada the safe, and free country it is today. The first women's movement played a huge role in brining equality into Canadian society. However, there is no exact ‘defining moment’ in the movement because it is built off of smaller but still important events. Examples of this include laws that were made which changed traditional gender roles, such as the Married Women’s Act, as well as old laws that were modified to include equality, such as the British North America Act.
The 1920’s was a time of progress due to many different reasons that shaped our country to what it is today. Women’s rights have progressed in many ways that have improved the lives of women in that time period and is the reason women have the rights and privileges they have in Canada today. Women have gained the right to vote, even though not all women have gained this right, it was still a step in the right direction of progression. Women gaining this right was definitely progression in our country because of the amount of women fighting for this privilege and it made our country what it is today and is the main reason women 's rights and equality has come so far in our country. Our technology also progressed and improved a lot at that time
In 1941-1942, women who wanted to serve in the war were finally able to. Military organizations were created specifically for women leading to more than 50 000 women serving in WWII. Women not only worked in the war as nurses, but also worked in hospitals and factories. Before women gained more political rights, they were only expected to work until married then just become housewives. Now that the workforce has opened up for women they would work while also being housewives.
Although these jobs created a sense of independence for women, as men came back they were quickly shifted back into their pre-war roles, more than 3 million women had to leave their wartime jobs. In short, there was a domestic change in women’s roles within society because Women had to shift from their traditional home roles to new wartime
The World War 1 era had greatly improved economically by allowing them to work jobs that only men can do and showing that women were capable of working in similar positions as men. Women had made great changes in implanting the rights for women. American women started the Women's Suffrage movement which sought to gain voting rights. However, women activists were purposeful in their efforts and used a variety of tactics to promote their cause.