Women+of+the+1920s

Alex Stoltenhoff
 * [|WOMEN OF THE 1920S]**

If you are a woman you will be able to fully understand what women went through in the [|roaring twenties] and if you are a man then just picture yourself as a women. No one likes to be looked down upon it is the worst possible thing to happen to a person. But the thing is, that is exactly what happened to women everyday back in the 1920s. And if it were not for the people, the groups, and everyone and everything else that helped women would not be where they are today. They were known for being able to clean, cook, and take care of their family. If women had the right to have a job and have the rights that men had, they could do it and/or maybe even better. Women fought and fought for their rights and they finally received most of what they wanted. Many women waited for so long to gain equality represented under the government as well as the right to vote. It took women around seventy-two years to gain the rights that they wanted. People today have a question of whether the strides of equality for women were genuine or superficial. Through my research I feel the strides towards change of the role of women in the 1920s were genuine strides. It made a difference it today's society for women rights.

When women finally realized that they do not have equality with men was when the two World Wars began. It began with the ratification of [|women's suffrage] in the United States and proceeded through the [|Jazz Age]. This began accidently at a tea party in Seneca Falls, New York. It was a plan to gain political and social rights for women and even to the poorest of men. That happened to be the boldest of the women's demands made into reality. As [|World War I] ended society was bursting into many new different things. Women were sick of being pushed around and being looked down upon by men. All women wanted to do was have a real descent job, serve for their country, and also have the right to vote for who is going to rule over their government. They not only wanted a descent job but they wanted to be able to be educated. Women wanted to learn new things about the world. They were not aloud to be educated only the men were able to receive education. They did not want to be looked down upon by men. Many citizens of the United States played a huge role in serving for our country. The men served as women had to sit back and watch their family members help our country and defeat the war.

The custom look for women in the "roaring twenties" was the image of a [|Flapper]. Flappers did not truly emerge until 1926. The term of the flapper came from Great Britain. [|Coco Chanel] was the one who came up with the image of a Flapper. The [|feminine liberation movement] had a strong impact on women's fashion. They were flat chested and people thought that they were becoming very sexually active. No more corsets and aprons they were banned by the feminine liberation movement. That was the image before the Flapper came around. The image of a Flapper had the spirit of a reckless rebel. A women who also danced the night away during the Jazz Age. They would smoke a long cigarette and their legs were always exposed. They would have their hair sleeked back with mostly always a short dress on. Generally all women's fashion was the style of a Flapper. The image of a Flapper seems to be not that bad but the image of a Flapper was not classy. Women went from being manly looking to wearing feathers, dresses, and having their makeup and hair nice.

The women of the 1920s admired the men that walked their grounds. They admired them for being able to get up every morning and to have the right to work. Also that they had the right to make their own money and be proud of what they accomplished. In the [|1920s women] did not have that. But soon things changed, in 1923 the equal rights amendment was passed. The men were allowed to go somewhere else besides their home and work and get paid for it. Women had to make sure they had a content husband, clean children, and make sure everyone plus themselves were well groomed. Men had the privilege to work in factories, farm, etc. Women could only work in their house. Women did not stand for this, they wanted to be able to work and feel accomplished. One group that some women put together was the [|Women's Committee of National Defense]. This group tried to get skilled jobs for all women.

[|The Equal Rights Amendment] also helped with receiving rights for women. It was first proposed in 1923 and is still not part of the United States Constitution. There were three sections of the Equal Rights Amendment. The first section said that "Equality of Rights under the law shall not be abridged by the United States or any state on account of sex." Section two states " The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article." The third section says " This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of the ratification." "After the [|nineteenth amendment] was ratified, women could not stand for that. So Alice Paul argued this and the process of the Equal Rights Amendment started. This passed the [|House of Representatives] in 1971. It required two-thirds vote and also got the Senates vote as well. The Equal Rights Amendment stated that, "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State on account of sex." (The Americans textbook)

Many women of the 1920s were very influential. Some of them were [|Elizabeth Cady Stanton], Mary Feresa, Jeanette Rankin, and Margaret Sanger. These women played an important role for women in the 1920s. Elizabeth Cady Stanton was an American social activist and one of the leaders of the early women's movement. She was a leading member at the first [|women's rights convention] held in 1848 in Seneca Falls, New York. Yes, she was a leading member back in 1848 but her name was still well known in the change of the role of the women in the 1920s. That is when women were granted the right to vote for their country. Elizabeth Cady Stanton did not live to see women's suffrage in the United States. But she is still known as one of the major forces in the stride toward equal rights for women in the United States. Not only in the United States but all throughout the country too. [|Margaret Sanger] once said "Woman must not accept; she must challenge. She must not be awed by that which has been built up around her she must reverence hat woman in her which struggles for expression." (Margaret Sanger) Mary Feresa was elected to congress in 1925. Jeannette Rankin was also a women and she was elected to congress as well with Mary Feresa.

In conclusion, the women of the twenties had to fight and fight for the way we see |women's rights today. From helping out in World War 1, entertaining the troops and preparing care packages for them as well because they were not allowed to serve. Also from being not able to vote for their own country and for who is going to be ruling their government to having the privilege to do so. They could not go to work at a real office or job they had to stay at home and clean around the house. And lastly changing the way they looked from looking all scruffy to actually looking like a mature lady. Women basically fought for what they wanted and received what they wanted. Throughout all these physical changes, and changes in the government in the 1920s for women did have a genuine stride toward equality. It is proven in all the hardships, struggles, and success they had to go through in this decade. The women of the 1920s made a huge impact on the role of women today. Women would not be treated like they are now if it were not for them.

**WORKS CONSULTED**  Gourley, Catherine. Flappers and the New American Woman. Minneapolis:  Twenty First Century Books, 2008.  Sischy, Ingrid. [|www.greenwichschools.org] June 8, 1998.  Women’s Fashions 1920s  [|Google.com]. 2005  14 March 2008 [|http://www.1920-30.com/fashion/ . Women of the Century. [|Discovery.com]. 13 March 2008. Discovery Education.  13 March 2008  http://school.discoveryeducation.com/|[|http:// school.discoveryeducation.com/ schooladventures/ womenofthecentury/decadebydecade/1920s.html <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Women of the Klan:Racism and Gender in the 1920s <span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> [[http://greenwichschools.org/|Greenwichschools.org] 1993. Goldberg, Robert A. 9 April 2008