From WWII to the Equal Pay Act: War’s affect on Women’s Rights

By Steven Widdis

Background

• Types of work: o shipyards, factory work,

construction• Change in work, family

and community roles• Increase of Independence

in each sector• Society wanted women to

return home, women disagreed

• Disagreement became catalyst for change

• Women received jobs previously only for men

• Gained experience and proved themselves capable

• Improvement in work conditions for women

• Women’s Bureau helped make changes happen

Change in Independence: Work

• Before War, family was most important

• Lost prestigious value throughout 1930s

• Women began making an income

increase in independence;

• Women made their own choices

Change in Independence: The Home

• Women became active in their community

• League of Women voters• Volunteered for Red

Cross and other drives• Managed these with

little aid from men

Change in Independence: Community

• Men took jobs back from women• Media: “women weren’t as strong as

men”• Society thought women shouldn’t work• Women still wanted to stay in the

workforce• Women demanded equality at the

workplace (1950s era).

After the War: Catalyst for Change

• 1942 - First signs of Equal Pay

• War & Navy departments expanded equal pay

• 1943 – Women saw pay raises

• First equal pay laws passed during War

• These changes led to 1963 Pay Act

Equal Pay Act 1963

Signing of Equal Pay Act of 1963

The End