What WWI Did For Women

By Kemper Bogle

When World War I began in 1914, the United States hoped to remain neutral throughout the conflict. However, as the war progressed the country became deeply divided on the issue. Women’s position remained largely anti-war, but without voting power, their voices were overlooked.

Women’s involvement in WWI transformed their roles within society as it began to challenge societal norms of what they could and could not do. Once the U.S. entered the war in 1917, women had to step up to fill roles left vacant by men going overseas and they created new jobs to assist the country in a war unlike any other at the time. Women’s involvement in WWI started a bigger conversation of their rights and equality.

Women in the United States began to demand voting rights during the early 1800s. The Women’s Suffrage movement continued through the Great War, which refueled the movement. For the first time, women were filling jobs that were predominantly held by men. The new responsibility within society demonstrated how valuable women were to the U.S. Women continued their protesting and campaigning for voting rights until the 19^th amendment was adopted in 1920

During the War       

During the war, women began filling jobs that had primarily been held by men. They worked as conductors, postal workers, clerks, police and in factories. Due to a large demand for weapons, munitions factories became the largest employer of women in 1918. However, they quickly began to realize they were not being compensated as much as the men before them. The women rallied together and started the earliest demands for equal pay in the workplace.

During WWI, Russia had women fighting in combat. Women’s Battalions were made up of all women and were formed to enthuse others to continue fighting the war. Many were eager to join and serve in combat. Although their main goal was to create moving propaganda, they had success in combat. However, It was ultimately determined the women’s battalions failed at providing the anticipated propaganda.

Nursing also became a popular occupation for women during the Great War. The American Red Cross organized and trained thousands of women to serve as nurses in the war. Many of the nurses traveled overseas and treated wounded soldiers near the front lines. With the outbreak of influenza in 1918, the demand for nurses was even more imperative.

Although American women were unable to serve in combat positions, they were able to contribute to the military in various ways. World War I was the first time women were allowed to serve alongside men and have the same responsibilities. These women were some of the first and only to receive the same pay as their men counterparts.

After the War         

Some of the advances women made during WWI were diminished after the war ended. The soldiers returned to the United States and took back many of the jobs women had been occupying. Women were discharged from the military and were unable to keep any positions due to it no longer being wartime.

While some women found comfort in their old lives, many became frustrated by this sudden demotion. This frustration refueled the women’s suffrage movement. In 1918 President Woodrow Wilson urged the Senate to pass the 19^th amendment, which gave women the right to vote. The amendment was eventually ratified in 1920.

Women gradually began to make progress in society. The Equal Rights Amendment was first introduced in 1923, however Congress until did not pass it until 1972. During this time women made some headway, they were first elected into congress.

Moving Forward

The U.S. ended the draft and moved to an all-volunteer force in 1973. By having an all-volunteer military, women were able to have more opportunities within the military. Founding Director of Center for Military, War, and Society Studies, Beth Bailey said the Equal Rights Amendment had large support in the early 1970’s.

“The military began planning for how it would integrate women based on the provisions of the ERA,” said Bailey. “The assumption was that it would happen. Those were the days when women were first admitted to the military academies.”

Since WWI, women in the military have fought for equality. The issue is women and men are associated with very different gender roles. Associate Professor at the KU School of Public Affairs, Shannon Portillo said the broad culture in the military deals a lot with how society views gender.

“We talk about the military as a very masculine and protectionist organization and yet we know women have been serving in combat roles for quite awhile,” said Portillo.

Throughout the last 100 years, many people have challenged the inequality in the military and in policy. Women have been banned from holding certain positions within the military simply based off gender. However, in 2015, Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter said the Pentagon would open all combat positions to women. Portillo said women had already been fighting at the front lines before this revision.

“The kind of wars we have these days there is not a clear distinction between combat and non-combat,” said Portillo. “There are a lot of women that are well qualified and want to serve in combat. It will remain controversial but we will continue to see women in combat roles.”

Like the military, the nursing profession was greatly impacted by the war. The nursing profession experienced dramatic growth during WWI. This increase was specifically just in women as men were unable to serve as nurses for the military and this regulation lasted until after the Korean War.

Women still currently dominate the nursing industry. According to a report by the U.S. Census Bureau, about 90 percent of registered nurses are women. Male nurses currently face a stigma within their own profession as in society nurses are generally expected to be feminine.

Parker Jones, a male nursing student at Washburn University, is one of fifteen male students in his program. Jones did not hesitate to enter the female-dominated field because his passion was to become a nurse. Jones said the stigma that surrounds males within the profession did not stop him from pursuing his desired career path because the nursing field is full of opportunities.

“I want to be a nurse and I didn’t care if it’s a career that males normally don’t go into,” said Jones. “I haven’t really faced any stigmas this far. People are more open to it than I thought they would be.”