1920s Women's Changing Culture Essay

The 1920’s sparked a revolution of changing culture in America, one of them being women. Women were known to work domestic jobs, if they even worked at all; many women were expected to stay home to tend to the children and household (Goldin,). Accompanying the culture changes a transformation in values and morals became evident. Soon women’s mindsets, roles, actions, and appearances began to change; this was attributed to the flapper (Benner,). While each of these characteristics burst on the scene in the 1920’s, the biggest attribute to the revolutionizing of women during this time is the changing culture.
The role of the women in the years leading up to the 1920’s hadn’t changed much. Most women were expected to stay home and work domestically by cleaning the house, and taking care of the children (Benner,). Men expected their wives to have dinner ready on the table for them when they got home and a drink prepared for them (Benner,). Many women didn’t have jobs unless they were unmarried, single mothers, or very poor (Goldin,). Several of these women were hired as mill girls in lived in the factory of at home until they got married (Goldin,). Most women didn’t go to college to earn degrees and were intensely

discouraged by the media (Benner,). The media essentially told women that their status depended on the success of their marriage (Benner,).
The 1902’s was accompanied by a complete culture change. Companies expanded, creating new jobs, therefore pays for most Americans increased; people began to have enough money to buy new kinds of products (Doughty,). Young Americans began to challenge the behaviors of their parents (Doughty,). Jazz became popular along with new types of dance such as, the Fox Trot, and the Charleston; couples danced closer than ever (Doughty,). The 1920’s was a time of social transfiguring with help from the radio and the automobile (Doughty,). The media began to show more sexuality, and uncommon values (Doughty,). The independence of women grew as well; in 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment passed which gave women the right to vote (Doughty,). Women’s roles changed during wartime; they took jobs and continued to work after the men returned home (Doughty,). Marriage rates began to decline while divorce rates continued to grow (Ducas,). The 1920’s began an insurrection in societal ideals, at least among some Americans (Doughty,). People began freely discussing subjects that their parents and grandparents had held private (Doughty,). Dates were no longer held at home with adult supervision; with the help of the automobile, couples were introduced to “lovers lane” (Doughty,). All in all the culture had drastically changed from their original Victorian values.
Alongside the changing culture, the mindsets of women in the 1920’s changed.

Many women began to read newspapers because women were getting tired of living such submissive lives; they wanted to become educated and make something of themselves other than wives and mothers (A Smile) . Women in this time also began to smoke cigarettes as it was seen as a sign of sophistication (A Smile) . It became suitable for working girls to live away from their families (Benner,) . Because of the changing culture, women found themselves gaining confidence and not caring what others thought (Zeitz,). Women’s right to vote was ratified in 1920 and gave way to the development of independence of women, in turn allowing women to break away from societal ideals (Doughty,)

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Throughout the 1920’s substantial changes for women took place in politics, the home, the workplace, and in education (Benner,) . Many women believed that they had an entitlement and duty to take part in politics (Benner,) . Their views were acknowledged in 1920 when the Nineteenth Amendment was passed permitting them the right to vote (Benner,) . With each passing year more and more women began to go to public colleges and earn degrees (Benner,) . Several women found jobs outside of the mills at nurses, teachers, and social workers (Benner,) . It became acceptable for women to live away from their families and work until they got married or chad children (Benner,) . Although women were becoming successful in the work place, they were still intimidated by the media telling them that their success was measured by their marital life (Benner,) . As women worked more, they had more money to buy new products such as electric refrigerators and irons; these consumer products alleviated the domestic work of women (Doughty,) .
Working women became subject to new products and fashions. Smoking cigarettes was seen as a sign of sophistication (Benner,) . You women began to experiment with different kinds of clothing, smoke cigarettes, and drink alcohol in public (Doughty,) . Young women began to experiment with new types of clothes (Doughty,) . No longer did they wear dresses that hid the shape of their bodies (Doughty,) . They began to wear thinner dresses that exposed their bare legs (Doughty,) . Media influenced women with cosmetics in movies, magazines, and on the radio (Zeitz,). They broadcasted the beauty of women who wore makeup (Zeitz,). For the most part, these fashions statements originated from the flapper.
The flapper became the figure of the 1920’s; she wore short skirts, short hair, noticeable makeup, and had a fun-loving attitude that signified freedom for young women (Benner,) . In order to be a flapper, a woman had to have enough money and free time to play the role (Benner,) . Flappers were mostly college girls, unmarried girls, and independent office workers (Benner,) . Flappers commercialized slim, boyish styles; their figures were flattened with undergarments (Benner,) . Hemlines, progressively inched up, and waistlines fell (Benner,) . They represented the “American Dream” for women (Zeitz,). Their experimentation with new looks, jobs, and lifestyles seemed redemptive compared to the publicly silenced women of the Victorian Age (Zeitz,). These women chose to be flappers because of a personal desire, not because they wanted to fulfill the ideals of society (Zeitz,). One thing is for sure: Despite the social repression that they suffered, flappers taught the women of the 1920’as to have a good time (Zeitz,).
During the 1920’s, social gatherings began to have a more excitement (Zeitz,). Typically, when one thinks of the 1920’s, they think of The Great Gatsby however most of the parties did not get that wild. Many couples attended parties together, rather than the husband going and the wife staying at home (Zeitz,). Some of these parties were very intimate as “petting” parties became popular (Zeitz,). Sexual experimentation became popularized by the media and flappers (Zeitz,). As the Jazz age rolled around many couples enjoyed going out dancing (Doughty,) . New types of dancing became popular such as, the Fox Trot, and the Charleston, as couples danced closer than ever, they broke the traditional framework of the waltz (Doughty,) .
The 1920’s was a revolutionary decade for women in America. They gained independence through the nineteenth amendment, and gained confidence through the changing ideals of society. Morals became loosened as well as their fashion sense. They began to play a bigger role in America and helped create the “New Woman”