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Discrimination based on gender and skin color is still one of the world’s greatest problems in society. Political, medical, and in the military seem to have the biggest unjustified discrimination cases against people of color and women, in society. The discrimination problem was big also during the world wars, where women were seen as weak and fragile, not suitable for the military or some of the jobs. The justification was that the equipment and work were made for males only, and women could not handle the pressure and work hours. When the world wars began the men had to go to the military and frontlines to defend their country. Back home women’s roles in society started to change because now they needed to do the jobs, that men did before they left for war. This started the change in women’s lives and changed the role of women in society. But the problems and criticism did not leave. Men had the biological physical advantage over women since men are physically stronger than women who, on average, have less overall muscle mass; they have also weaker bones and ligaments. During the wars, females were seen as weak and fragile; they were not seen as a fit for any military positions because they did not have the same strength that men did. They only were in military communication stations and were not seen as people who served the country. Later on, the military tried to defend themselves by explaining that the equipment and machines were made only for male bodies and women did not have a chance of surviving on the battlefield. In this research paper, I try to give a brief overlook of the discrimination against women in the military and everyday society, and how it affected them.
The women’s rights activists started a movement before World War I, that started in 1914 and ended in 1918, but the First World War had an enormous impact and changed the woman’s role in society. Now, the question, how it exactly changed the woman’s role and what were the factors. The First World War was a terrible event that took place. To protect their home country many men had to leave their jobs, businesses, and homes, to go to the military. Men leaving shakes up the whole society. Empty workplaces and businesses were left behind. Before men left, women had responsibilities of raising children and doing housework. In addition to that, to keep their families and husbands happy, home clean, and tidy. Men leaving allowed women freedom and free will to do the work and decide what they want to do. It gave women some sort of independence and freedom, that fuelled them to get everything done themselves, without the help of men. Women adapted very well to the changes and were soon even better at working at a men’s job than men were.
You could say that “Women played vital part in the war effort as they took jobs that men had previously done.” While men protected the country, women kept the county running inside. When the war ended and gentlemen came back and wanted to return to their job places, kick women back to the kitchen, ladies kindly refused to go back to old ways. Even employers were hiring more women because they were paid less than men. It concerned some that “…/that employers would continue to employ women in these jobs even when the men returned from the war.” During the war, there was also a movement among different social classes, because of the shortage in middle- and lower-class labor force… . The independence the women gain was the first big step and beginning towards a more equal society. Women had the fuel ant purpose to evolve.
Other females wanted to serve in the military and give their effort to serve their country that way. Women were often discriminated against in the military, had the worst low paying and dangerous jobs. For example, some females were put on frontlines to fight alongside men soldiers, but that happened a little bit later on. The most known job for females in the military was nursing. “Thousands of women also served in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps and the Navy Nurse Corps.” All nurses went through mandatory medical training to qualify for the job. Nurses had to keep things professional and honest, to keep their job as a nurse. Everyone who has seen any war movie could say that war and love go together. What I am indicating, is that nurses could not have any affairs or “fall in love” with the wounded soldiers. “They could be expelled if they had affairs or even became engaged.” Women were under some extreme surveillance. Outside of the military-medical, women had a hard time making a career in the medical field, due to common perception like in the military. “Even educated women found it difficult to be accepted in professional jobs, such as medicine.”
For females who had the opportunity to serve as soldiers or in communication, life was not easier. They were constantly harassed by men. Women often were not given any proper equipment and often had to have permission to enlist in the military. One of the best know woman solider and leader was Maria Bochkareva. She founded the first all-women military unit in 1917. “The first woman to lead a Russian military unit, Bochkareva went as far as to petition the Czar for permission to enlist in the Imperial Russian army in 1914 and was granted permission to join.” Many women out worked male military participants, but did not get the credit for their work, and often were underpaid. There was a huge gap between male and female nurses’ wages. In addition, female soldiers and nurses did not gain the benefits that male soldiers gained. After the World War ended in 11. November 1918, the women were determined to get more equal rights. Getting voting rights, started with fighting to get the right to vote.
On 18th August 1920, the 19th Amendment was passed. This amendment gave a woman the right to vote. “The 19th Amendment allowed women to help elect progressive policymakers, who in turn enacted policies to benefit women.” It was a big step towards the future, but as always everything is not that perfect as it is seen. The 19th amendment gave the right to vote to white people and excluded all others. For example, African American women, people of color, were still being discriminated against. That expanded into other branches of society as well. In the military, more and more white women got to serve their country, but three were very few women of color. It was hard being a woman in the military, but it was even harder to be a woman with different skin color, such as African American, etc. The first example would be military colleges. Women were hardly accepted, even if they were capable of doing everything.. “She can do everything except wear the uniform, march and live in the barracks.” The only reply to that was that the equipment was made for male participants only. Many females who served in the military were not recognized as military members. They did not receive any retirement or veteran status. In the Air force, women were accepted as a military member not until 1976.
Even today there are a small number of women of color in the military and air force. “The Air Force has 12,323 active-duty pilots, of which 13 were African American or Black women.” 13 African American or Black women, it is just a small fraction and the military should encourage youngsters and women to pursue a career in the military by making the environment more accepting. In the end, it does not matter what color is your skin or what is your religion or gender if you have the same goal to protect your country. Women’s discrimination still exists today. You can see it in politics, the military, and pretty much everywhere. The biggest concern today is the pay gap between women and men. Women often get paid less for the same job that their male co-workers. “One of the biggest gender gaps is in the area of income: One-in-four working women (25%) say they have earned less than a man who was doing the same job; one-in-twenty working men (5%) say they have earned less than a female peer.” That is an enormous gap. Not to mention the harassment women must tolerate in workplaces. This study includes discrimination based on race and religion too. It is absurd to think that we still haven’t worked out the discrimination, in today’s world. This is so bizarre because everything is more open-minded and everything evolves so quickly that humans should be adapting and accepting.
To summon up everything, it is obvious that women are suitable for the military, medical field, etc. Women have suffered discrimination based on gender and sexual harassment for a long time. In my opinion and to look at history it fuelled them to not give up and fight for their rights. But why women must endure such suffering and men do not. Even in today’s society discrimination is still a big problem. Women or other minorities should not go to extra measures and do more work hours just to get the same amount of salary or same opportunities that men get. Discrimination limits and has limited women and their human rights, now and in the past. If nothing changes everything will continue in the future.
References
- Anitha, Sundari, and Ruth Pearson. “Striking Women.” World War I: 1914-1918 | Striking Women, 2013. https://www.striking-women.org/module/women-and-work/world-war-i-1914-1918.
- Copp, Tara. “Female military pilots see the next barrier to break: Getting more Black women to fly.” The Olympian, July 20, 2020. https://www.theolympian.com/news/nation-world/national/article244278472.html
- Hunter, Nick. Women in World War I. Chicago, Illinois: Heinemann Library, 2014. P 4
- Hunter, Nick. Women in World War I. Chicago, Illinois: Heinemann Library, 2014. P 7
- Inscription on the Liberty Memorial Tower in Downtown Kansas City, Missouri. “Women in WWI.” National WWI Museum and Memorial, January 3, 2020. https://www.theworldwar.org/learn/women.
- Parker, Kim, and Cary Funk. “42% Of US Working Women Have Faced Gender Discrimination on the Job.” Pew Research Center. Pew Research Center, August 7, 2020. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/12/14/gender-discrimination-comes-in-many-forms-for-todays-working-women/.
- Special to The New,York Times. 1993. Military college is ordered to admit woman. New York Times (1923-Current file), Nov 18, 1993. https://ntserver1.wsulibs.wsu.edu:2152/docview/109045687?accountid=14902 (accessed November 6, 2020).
- Todd, Caroline. “Nurses in World War I Changed Ideas About What Women Can Do.” Time. Time, November 11, 2018. https://time.com/5450885/wwi-nurses/.
- Williamson, Heidi. “Women’s Equality Day: Celebrating the 19th Amendment’s Impact on Reproductive Health and Rights.” Center for American Progress. Center for American Progress, July 8, 2014. https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/news/2013/08/26/72988/womens-equality-day-celebrating-the-19th-amendments-impact-on-reproductive-health-and-rights/.
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