Overview of Women’s Rights in The 1930’s

The 1930’s was a very interesting time for society, for many reasons. For example, gender decrimination still continued. The Great Depression impacted many, but especially women. Women’s rights in the 1930’s were limited due to the lack of jobs, but other privileges for women did not exist; however, major activist promoted and improved the lives of women.

In the 1930’s women had very limited job availability. Due to the Great Depression many women were affected by the economic downfall. Women’s main responsibilities were working with domestic services. Women had many requirements not only at work, but after work as well. “. . . dinner had to be prepared, their home must be clean, and they had to look presentable for their husbands when they returned home”. “Between 1932 and 1937 there was a law where only one person in a family could be employed. In 1933 there was an authorized policy against hiring women”. As time continued later into the decade, more jobs opened up for women, they began teaching, nursing, and clerking. When the Great Depression started coming to an end, women started working in factories and served as labor workers. Women were affected by the Great Depression more than men were mainly due to job availability.

Women did not have the privileges and rights that men had. For example a women’s average income was much lower than a male’s. “. . . women's average annual pay in 1937 was $525, compared with $1,027 for men”. A women could work longer, and a more difficult job and get significantly less money. Women were also prohibited from smoking in public, could not swear, and lastly if a woman was not married she was required to support herself. Women’s education was not as strong as men’s and it was also it required for as long. “Prior to the Depression, many women did not pursue higher education by enrolling in college courses”. Many women pursue further education that they were completely oblivious to in the past. Women privileges were much more limited than men’s.

Molly Dewson was a major activist who helped improve women’s lives. “Dewson defended minimum wage laws for women and children and how many hours they worked … she was an advocate for women in the Democratic Party and became an ambassador for the New Deal. Molly Dewson did not only help benefit women, but children too. “She found government jobs for female party workers, more than had been given to women under any previous administration”. She impacted so many women’s and children’s lives. “Dewson found some time in the 1930’s to promote industrial and welfare programs”. This opened many jobs for women and helped them economically mainly for those who were unemployed, or not married. Overall her impact on lives by promoting many things helped the economy.

In conclusion, the period of the Great Depression impacted everyone, but mainly women. At this time period, females had to overcome many challenges. The rights for women in the 1930’s were very limited because of low job availability, less privileges, but despite the conflict, major activists helped improve their lives.