A revolution, born from built up frustration over many millennia, finally burst into the light across the globe during the 20th century. This revolution made its debut in the United States during the 1920’s, though at the time, guys and gals alike were calling it “The Roaring Twenties,” due to the lavish lifestyles that could be pursued, and also, freedom and liberty had never been so prominent. It was a time of change from the traditional ways of old. However, no group in the United States was more impactful about bringing about this change than the everyday woman. Not only did they help bring about change, however, they were successful in bringing about their own personal freedoms, such as their right to vote, their right to work, their right to be as free as the working man. This revolution in the modern day is fondly known as “The New Woman Movement.”
In the document “Now We Can Begin”, written by Crystal Eastman, she explores the ideas of women's rights during the 1920’s. In her paper, she states, “...if and when they (women) choose housework and child-raising, to have that occupation recognized by the world as work, requiring a definite economic reward and not merely entitling the performer to be dependent on some man.” In this quote, she is arguing that women were expected to remain at home, become married, birth and care for the children and the household, while also not receiving any recognition for their accomplishments. However, during the 1920’s and “The New Woman” movement, protests were held to argue for women, by women, to remove the legal barriers set by men and to have the same opportunities. They argued that they, were too an American citizen, and also human, so should their rights, supposedly protected by the constitution, also not be honored the same? This feminist point of view flourished during this era, and as such, resulted in women earning the same liberty as men.
These women with these feminist ideologies, along with their carefree attitude and rebellious nature against tradition, earned them the nick-name “Flappers.” In the article “A Flappers Appeal to Parents”, written by Ellen Welles Page, she states that, quote, “I wonder if it ever occurred to any of you that it required brains to become and remain a successful flapper? Indeed it does!” In this quote, Page is explaining to parents of young women in her generation to not judge their children and their children’s children for being so rambunctious, but to instead embrace them, and recognize what is required to be a flapper. She explains that it requires brains and excellence in their socialization to defy the traditional ways of old, and to instead embrace the comings of a new dawn. Such a new way of socialization was a term called “petting.”
“Petting”, in short, is simply deviation from what was considered standard physical contact. This term rose in popularity in the 1920’s as more and more women defy the traditional norms. In the article “Petting and the Campus”, written by Elenanor Rowland Wembridge, she speaks of the attitude towards petting that the younger generation of men and women had versus the older generation, and how for lots of parents of these young men and women, it frightens them of how much their morals differ.
Comparing these documents, we see the common theme of women banding together against the prejudice that mankind had set against them since millennia ago, and how during the 1920’s/”The New Woman Movement”, they were able to obtain the same liberties and freedom as men through protests and their carefree nature. However, at the end of the day, this leaves us with two questions to consider: Why, specifically during the 1920’s, were women able to finally achieve freedom and peace parallel to their fellow man?
During this time and even before, there was always frustration for the everyday woman. They were told that their only jobs were household work and to give birth. It seems that more and more women started to become vocal about this. This caused a spark in groups like feminists or flappers. Once women became more vocal, there was a push for women to be seen as an American citizen that has a voice. By 1919, women could vote. On top of that, there was a spike in women entering the job force. I feel like all of these things contributed to the freedom and peace that women were finally able to achieve.
ReplyDeleteDuring the 1920s, women were able to achieve freedom and peace parallel to their fellow men due to the emergence of the feminist movement, which challenged traditional gender roles and demanded equal rights for women. Women's protests and advocacy efforts led to the removal of legal barriers set by men, allowing them to enjoy the same opportunities as men. The "New Woman" movement encouraged women to embrace a carefree attitude and rebellious nature against tradition, resulting in the emergence of "Flappers." These women were able to successfully challenge the status quo and demand recognition for their accomplishments, paving the way for future generations of women to enjoy the same liberties as men. Overall, the feminist movement of the 1920s was crucial in bringing about the freedom and peace that women had long fought for. This information is gained through the various movements and the attitude of the "flappers" during this time period.
ReplyDeleteWomen had very few rights and had very different expectations than those of women now. Most of the time these expectations were very restrictive. As an example, women were expected to cook, clean, and take care of the children. Women in this time were seen as weak and in need of protection. The “New Woman” movement became very popular during this time. Women involved in this movement were known to challenge tradition to make change. They wanted to show that they were American too and wanted to have the same rights as men. Because of their efforts, they got to see the change they wanted. Women got the right to vote and many women wanted to get away from their confinement in the home and join the men in the workforce.
ReplyDeleteWomen in the 21st century are viewed way different now then they were back before they started to get the same rights as men. As stated in the blog above women were expected to take care of the children and the household while the men went to work. This included cooking, cleaning, and watching the children. The man was expected to go work to make the money. Women tried to break the traditional way by being a flapper. Due to the rebellious women, they have fought for their rights for a long time. Eventually, in 1920 the 19th amendment was ratified which made it official for women to vote. This was a big achievement for women being able to vote like a man. They always viewed themselves equal to men; however, most people did not so it was a big deal to be able to vote.
ReplyDeleteThe twentieth century was a huge leap for all kinds of civil rights. Centuries prior were filled with deadly threats of disease and insufficient living conditions across the country that just surviving was the primary focus of Americans. The nineteenth century did offer some freedom for slaves post-civil war but most civil rights would come after the Gilded Era. The revolutionary advancements of the gilded age leading up to the 1920s offered Americans more time to focus on issues like civil rights than ever before. Women made up roughly half of the population of the United States. With the perfect conditions for progress, Women's rights activists thrived in the 1920s.
ReplyDeleteMen and women alike both agreed that women deserved the same rights as a man. Women were finally able to achieve the same freedom and liberty as the average man in America due to citizens protesting and demanding equality. Even though the 1920's was known as the "Roaring 20's", women's help in the workforce was crucial. According to The American Yawp, it states, "While there were exceptions, for many minority women, work outside the home was not a cultural statement but rather a financial necessity (or both), and physically demanding, low-paying domestic service work continued to be the most common job type. Young, working-class white women were joining the workforce more frequently, too, but often in order to help support their struggling mothers and fathers." From this statement, you can conclude that American life was troublesome, and families were in desperate need. Women had finally earned their right to work and this era was desperate for their help.
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