How do the women of the World War II era compare to women today?
The parallels between the main concerns of women today and the primary concerns of women in World War II are stunning: so many of the conflicts women and men are wrestling with today had their roots in WWII. Women were striving to balance work and family, facing pay inequities and sexual harassment, seizing unprecedented professional opportunities, enjoying newfound pride in making their own money, and being taken seriously in public arenas such as politics and law and journalism for the first time. During World War II, women pioneered against widespread resistance to their presence in the military, and were caught in a web of sexual double standards conveyed through the media. There were single mothers. Women faced glass ceilings. And women began to wrestle with issues of gay rights, race and gender quotas, and the availability of quality daycare during World War II like never before. What did you find most surprising about the women of this era? Initially, I was surprised at how much
