Women in Culture in the 1930's-1940's VS Women in Culture Today Research Paper

Women in Culture in the 1930's-1940's VS Women in Culture Today - Research Paper Example The debates have hit the floor for some time regarding women in the past and women today. Moreover, social roles of women and girls are quite different from that of men. Workforce in early times was highly gender based which is somewhat contrary to today’s women. Today, women have much freedom and almost acquiring equal rights as men unlike in the early 1930’s. Women artist has been one of the outstanding and distinguishing activities between 1930’s – 1940’s and today. Female artists play central part in art industry, for instance textile arts and craft. In 1930’s, women artists encountered numerous challenges related to their success in art industry and these were gender based biases in the mainstream of fine art (Rosaldo, Lamphere & Bamberger, 1974). They faced challenges in training, travelling and trading of their work as well as recognition of their status in art industry. However late in 1940’s, feminist arts fought for their rig hts for them to be guaranteed the right to education and training in fine art. This impacted positively on women as they were allowed to train and acquire skills in fine industry. In the days of Great Depression (1930’s), a number of women made their own clothing. The time was so terrible that unemployment rate was very high. It was then that the fashion design made a step toward simpler lines reflecting the simpler lives of the people. Magazines displayed different kinds of clothing which customary middle women applauded (Loy, (2001). The fashions in the 1930’s were so appealing, attractive, feminine and absolutely gorgeous unlike today. The fashion took a stunning turn reflecting the austerity of the appalling economy. In the 1940’s, limited color highly characterized pictures and magazines unlike today as ink was expensive then (Rosaldo, Lamphere & Bamberger, 1974). Fashions illustrated in magazines revealed the clothing in sketch form instead of photographs. The gray outfit was a typical fashion design of 1932. Women empowerment and role assignment has taken a new picture today. This is mainly noted in factories and industries. For instance, Rosie the Riveter from the USA is highly recognized as a cultural icon. She represents the American women who worked in industries during the Second World War (Rosaldo, Lamphere & Bamberger, 1974). They took new jobs of men who were in the field of military. Rosie worked tirelessly to help the Americans who were taking part in war. During this time, women took over the male dominated trades though at the same they were required to return to their daily housework as soon as men in war came back home. Women were chiefly given the roles of housewives. They were asked to perform hard tasks which for them were hard to do. They opted to return to their traditional work basically to avoid such jobs and low payments (Loy, 2001). Rosie the Riveter finally died when her kidney failed to work after a plane ac cident. She had influenced American women to work in industries. It was evident that women proved it right that they could do and manage well the work that was mainly done by men. In 1942, the proportion of jobs acceptable to women increased tremendously. However, the payment terms of women were not favorable. Rosie had encouraged women to enter into workforce in large numbers, though women were discharged after the war to return to servicemen (Rosaldo, Lamphere & Bamberger, 1974). During the Second World War, women worked hard to take their positions. However after the wartime, they resumed domestic vocations and service work. Between 1930’