4. The influence of World War II (1939-1945)

Rosie the Riveter became a female icon of the American working woman in the 1940's as the country's massive war mobilization drew large numbers of women into the paid labor force for the first time. Although many returned to their traditional domestic duties at war's end, the experience proved a watershed in women's expectations for work outside the home. Women's rate of participation in the labor force has continued to climb since the 1940's and, by the close of the 1990's, was only about 16 percent less than men's.

 

Janet Z. Giele is a Professor of Sociology in the Heller School for Social Welfare at Brandeis University. She focused on the field of women's movements in the 1900's. This Top 10 list celebrates a century of achievement for women and credits the contributions of a number of outstanding women, including Margaret Sanger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Betty Friedan, and Naomi Wolf. Susan Schantz, a Graduate Research Assistant in the Heller School for Social Welfare at Brandeis University, assisted Professor Giele in developing the list.

1.

Increased control over reproduction (middle to late 1900's)

2. The growth of woman suffrage (throughout the 1900's)
3. Social assistance and insurance for women (throughout the 1900's)
4.

The influence of World War II (1939-1945)

5. The rise of the female athlete (middle to late 1900's)
6. The publication of The Feminine Mystique (1963)
7. The impact of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
8. The failure of the Equal Rights Amendment (late 1900's)
9. Rising education rates (throughout the 1900's)
10. Rise of the third wave of women's movements (late 1900's)