Were any gains won by women in the First World War both limited and temporary - Essay Example

? The gains won by women in UK during WWI were limited and temporary Women, Society and Politics – 1901-1979 March 23, Table of contents 1. Introduction 3 2. The impact of the war on women’ s lives 3 3. The suffrage movements 6 4. British group 6 5Citizenship rights 7 6. New wave movements 7 6. Equality Act 2010 8 8. Criticisms on the Act 11 9. Conclusion 10. References The gains won by women in UK during World War I were limited and temporary Introduction The status of women greatly changed during the World War I. Traditionally, women were bound to be housewives only and be held responsible for keeping up with the household. In early America, women’s life centered on farm and family. Women knew many things like being a baker and running dairies, they were also blacksmiths, silversmiths, tailors, painters, and can perform other jobs done by men. Even though they worked side by side with their husbands, they were not paid for their work. Things were the same elsewhere, as in UK. As related in the Hub pages, before the outbreak of World War I, the role of women was similar. Their roles consisted mainly of domestic jobs, nursing, teaching, and farming. Although a few of them worked in factories, they were paid less than men. Thus, we will see here that women were not treated favorably by society and it was an accepted standard at that time. The impact of the war on women’s lives When World War I broke out, things slowly changed for women. During World War I, war industries caused the heavy employment of women. (Bryant Joyce, March 2, 2009) Three million women workers and more got employed in food, textile and war industries. Women’s role changed rapidly because of the war. In UK, many women enlisted in the Women’s Auxiliary Corps. Women were employed in communication lines, cooking, catering, and clerical jobs. They also became truck drivers and ambulance drivers because men were engaged in battles (Hub pages). Their most important contribution, Bryant Joyce, mentioned is the takeover of the farms and growing of much needed food. In Britain, 113,000 women joined the Women’s Land Army which was set up in 1917, to provide a workforce to run the farms (Hub pages). Women were at work everywhere. They learned almost all the kinds of jobs that were previously held by men. The war provided the opportunity for women to grow and learn the job skills they were not allowed to do before. In Russia, women joined the Legion of Death. These women pledged to take their own lives rather than become German war prisoners. They agreed that death was better than to remain captives. Working as nurses, hundreds of women risked their lives to help in the treatment of wounded soldiers ( hubpages). The spirit of volunteerism was very much felt during the times of war. At the beginning of the war, the government gave very little recognition to the efforts of these women. Undaunted, these women utilized their skills such as running charities, cooking, knitting, gardening and sewing. At great length, their contributions became essential, so the government began to direct and legalized their hard works (Vries, Jacqueline). During the war, the focus of attention of different women’s organizations was volunteering their services to the country rather than entrants to wage work. Historians, however, debates that their work was simply an extension of their traditional housework, while, others say that the leadership and ingenuity of women had contributed to the newly recognized status at the end of the war. Vries believed that leaders of women’s organization took these as a chance to connect their war services to women’s emancipation. At the outbreak of war, Milicent Garrett Fawcett, President of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies, urged suffragists to find positions of service in order to prove themselves “worthy of citizenship” (Vries,Jacqueline). It is therefore unsettled whether volunteerism or philanthropic works transformed the lives of these women after the war. But what is significant here, is that the service of British women were momentous in Britain’s victory in 1918. Although research proved that women’s community works were remarkable, this study noted a class distinction and ethnic prejudices. For instance, food served for wounded soldiers were different from refuges of different class. Nevertheless, despite of the social differentiation, the upper-class privilege declined in World War. Noble women gave their wealth and services for the war. The Duchess of Westminster and Sutherland set up hospitals; Lady Hamilton (wife of General Sir Ian Hamilton, Commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean) led a fund campaign to support the troops of her husband (Vries, Jacqueline). These kinds of efforts facilitated the social changes in the lives of women. Towards this distinction, Thom, Deborrah (draws on the experiences of women during the war. She raised the issues on the differences of experiences of factory workers from those who belong to the group whose work is greatly organized. Thom believes that there is a distinction between the work of the privileged class and the domestic class such that they have been marginalized in reproduction and sexuality. She argued that interest of the state on the women workers during the war was not because of male absence but due to the growing political consciousness of women. She sees the relationship of the state and” the labor market for women” complicated as the state tried to regulate birth, motherhood, and sex, and thus questions how far does the intervention is constructed in the democracy under the “stress of war”. It is possible that under the situation, discrimination existed because of the treatment of the State to the different class. An interesting argument here states, “ the intervention of state on the regulation of reproduction was due to the absence of the male due to war” could be considered partially correct because reproduction could add up worries of war. In war, rape is considered as a weapon, and under these circumstances, women are the victims. Keiran, Ford, (September 8, 2011) said rape has been used as “a tactic to demonize, terrorize and defeat women physically and emotionally”. Keiran calls it as a “gender-based violence , and it is one of the gender based experiences during the war. He argues that gender-based violence is an expression of masculinity and an attack on femininity. Does this mean that women should just keep numbed and just accept the attack on their femininity when there is The impact of war on the lives of women was not touched by Marwick, Arthur, as he related only the devastating effect of war on civilizations and exposed war as a natural catastrophe. When the World War I was over, the problem surfaced as women’s growing influence threatened the male workers. Men did not like the growing popularity of women power so that they did all what they can to push to push out women to what they perceived to be a man’s role. Munitions women, during the Great War, were summarily described by Woolacott, Angela (1994) as intelligent and reliable. They were referred to as a symbol of modernity who dared male superiority through their devoted patriotism. Their new status changed their social behavior, mobility, and gave them the power of spending because they were paid for their work. The war likewise changed their standard of living. Men were disturbed by these social changes, so trade unions challenged the women “face-to-face” by their subordination. After the war, it was never the same again for women. Thom Deborrah, said that the government became interested in women’s welfare because of their growing influence. Thus during this time, the government introduced reforms that called for equal pay, because they feared of dilution, meaning women replacing men in skilled work. The government had to solve dilution issue because of trade unions protests. Ttrade unions had to protect their members because they would not allow non union or unskilled workers to do a dilutee’s job. They feared that new ones will accept jobs at lower pay, thus risking their lives. A point which Thom illustrated is the lost of feminism during the war. What was traumatic for these women after the war was the painful readjustment to their lives. Britain was bombed during World War I, and hundreds of men returned from the battle injured and women had to take care of them, Many of these women of them lost their loved ones, and life will never be the same again for them (Bourke, Joanna, March 3. 21003). Bourke cited the story of an English woman, who joined the army during WWI, who said: “turning back from a soldier to a woman’s role is like losing everything at one fell swoop, and trying to find bearings again in another life and an entirely different world” Women took a very important role during WWI and for this reason, they were clamoring for equality because it was proven that they can be as capable as men. But do you know that the service of women in the army gave the big push to the long time requests of suffragettes to vote in the United States?. As cited by Wilson, Barbara, US President Woodrow Wilson was won over the side of the suffragettes because of their bravery serving in the front and their proven abilities in replacing men in offices and factories. So he asked for the l9th amendment of the constitution and to recognize the women’s contribution to the country. The suffrage movements Talking about women power, did not speak only on one voice, they formed movements to make their demands be heard by authorities. Women in U.S. demanded suffrage as early as 1840. But it has gained momentum only in the mid 19th century. The founders of the movement believed that the role of women should not be limited to being housewives and mothers. At the Seneca Convention attended by 200 women and 40 men, they claimed for citizenship rights. And they insisted that all men are created equal. These delegates rejected “Victorian domesticity” and its separation of men and women in public spheres. What have they gained after this convention? More and more women entered into public life. There was also an expansion of educational opportunities for them. While the 19th amendment did not provide the immediate results expected, it set the groundwork for future women leaders to seek political independence and for others to commit in the cause. The founders of the movement did not live long enough to witness the realization of their dreams., but women of influence like Eleanore Roosevelt woke up from political consciousness and had inspired others to do the same.(American Experience n.d.) By 1910, the suffrage became a mass movement and a parallel radical movement was staged in Britain. British group The British group was more daring because they were riotous as they burned down buildings, posed hunger strikes to gain political publicity. Although the two groups had practiced different strategies, they complement each other. The American group was more sober, while the British suffragettes were outlandish but both displayed patriotism during the war. The feminist movement in Great Britain started on 1828. What makes this movement incredible is the grassroots activism that involved five hundred suffrage societies, making it very influential. Activists took their campaign to the streets, rallies, and speech. They used banners and pasted posters to drive their point. Members of the movement were not scared of prison, as hundreds of them were imprisoned. The women in prison went on hunger strike until they grew weak and ill; but the government response was force feeding. But with the outbreak of war, the women agreed that suffrage could wait, but could not be ignored. After 63 years of campaign to obtain parliamentary suffrage privilege for women on equal terms with men , the right was granted on August 5, 1928. (Women’s Library.) The female patriotism I war is more pronounced in the works of Gullace, Nicolletta. She described many of the gains won by women during the war did not last as they were demobilized from the work they held during the war. Government was concerned on the fate of returning soldiers, and despite feminists protests, they were held out of jobs. Britons complained of this situation, they reasoned out that they can never again find cheap labor and “docile” servants. From this, we can guess that although the Britons praised women for their labor, they were only considered important because of their economic value. Yet, Gullace referred to patriotism as one of the reasons for the victory of the suffrage movement. Citizenship rights During the 1920s to 1930s, the feminists in UK were concerned of their nationality because by the reenactment of the 1870 law, “a British woman who married an alien becomes an alien herself; losing the rights and privileges accorded to British nationality”. During this period, the British women from around the Empire worked for the change of this regulation, but the right to their nationality, regardless of marital status was only granted in 1948.(Baldwin, Page M. n.d..) New wave movements Inspired by their success, women sustained their campaign movements. This new wave of .movement which came out in the late 1960s to 1970s continued to be a force for change. This new wave movement came prominent because of their debates and different forms used. The movement used a network of women’s societies where they held national conferences to discuss issues. They analyzed the role and relationship of women in the society and identified their demands for the equality of women. These demands were “for equal pay, equal education and job opportunities, free contraception and abortion on demand, and free 24-hour nurseries” (Shrew) Shrew , a newspaper that published the corresponding actions of the movement, easily gained public support. This, plus other feminists’ magazine, reached a wider female readership. The most news grabbing attention of the movement was done when they demonstrated before the Miss World competition. They carried placards reading:”'Miss-fortune demands equal pay for women, Miss-conception demands free abortion for all women, Miss-placed demands a place outside the home'. Their slogan was: 'We're not beautiful, we're not ugly, we're angry' (Shrew, 1970). Referring to this pageant, in the December 1970 issue of Shrew, Bob hope was quoted: : 'Their condition is the condition of all women, born to be defined by their physical attributes, born to give birth, or if born pretty, born lucky; a condition which makes it possible and acceptable; within the bourgeois ethic, for girls to parade, silent and smiling, to be judged on the merits of their figures and faces' . (Bob Hope - 'Pretty girls don't have these problems') Bob Hope seem to suggest by this statement, that pretty girls are luckier than the simple ones, and they are more fortunate than the plain ones. Equality Act 2010 It took them 14 years to work out for this mission. The Equality Act 2010 is a merging of five generations of legislation and a result of the great effort of different groups (The Equal Rights Review, Vol. Five 2010) The first generation of legislation was based on the belief of “ formal equality –“ likes must be treated equal”. It was the response of the government to campaigns on race relations wherein there was discrimination on immigrants from the Caribbean and Indian sub-continent. The second legislation, The Race Relations Act of 1968 is also related to racial discrimination, but it is now directed to employment, housing, goods, and services. The third generation legislation, The Equal Pay Act of 1970 and Sex Discrimination Act 1975 had been fought for by the trade union and the feminist movements. This law introduces the undesirable result of discriminations and provisions permitting positive action. The law also allows women to claim compensation for unlawful discrimination in employment. The Equality Act Of 2010 Reduced Various Legislations Into A Single Piece. Criticisms on the Act To Sen, Purna and Kelly, Liz, 2007, who made a thorough study on the violence of women in UK, the government has not fully addressed the women’s problems. Among the foremost crimes against women found by Sen and Kelly in UK are domestic violence, rape and sexual assault, trafficking and sex industry, crimes in the names of honor, forced marriages and the marriage of children, female genital mutilation, refugee and asylum-seeking children, stalking, and sexual harassment at work. This study merely stated and qualified that the issues of equality, justice and tolerance raised and explored by the resources are just as relevant today as they were two centuries ago. Thus., there is a general feeling that the need for campaigns is also just as great. This study also outlines a series of activities that investigate what made the Abolition campaign so successful and what make it a successful campaign today. But what remains to be resolved here, is to know what measures are to be taken to ensure that women and children who suffered from sexual violence will have access to safe support. Will the UK government ensure that adequate legal aid is provided to these women such as injunctions? Conclusion World War I is long been over. Our courageous heroines fought for equal rights. YES, they won battles for sexual equality, but the favors they won were limited or some of the gains were only temporary. In the span of several decades, the true equal rights have not been granted to women. Laws had loopholes, and there are those who do not want to adopt them. The road to its full equality is long, but the cause of our courageous women should not be lost. The progress is slow, but feminist’s movements must show a firm resolve and commitment. As shown in the examples women are still subjected to sexual harassment and inequalities. Women still have to fight their battles in court to gain justice. It is a complex situation that can be resolved only through government support, training and education of women. References American Experience. N. d. Battle for suffrage. Accessed 198 March 2012 Baldwin, Page M. n.d.. Subject to empire: Married Women and the British nationality and Status of Nationality aliens Act. Chicago Journals. Accessed March 22, 2012 http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/3070746?uid=3738824&uid=2&uid=4&sid=5593 6655983 Brouke, Joanna (March 3, 2011 “Women in the home front in World War One. History. BBC accessed 23 March 2010 http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/britain_wwone/women_employment Bryant Joyce, March 2, 2009. “How war changed the role of women in the United States” accessed 19, March 2010 Read More