Women Pioneers

Women Pioneers

Women living as pioneers in the late 1800’s endured many difficulties. However, after accomplishing long sought after goals and overcoming tremendous obstacles, they achieved great lengths and received many honors. Women had to fight for their education, fair wages in highly respected and mostly male professions, and finally, the right to vote. Females had to work continuously in order to gain respect and achieve a level of equality between themselves and the men surrounding them.

When women chose to venture into the working force, they could only attain menial jobs. Nevertheless, some women chose to go one step further.

Men working in high-class occupations such as doctors and lawyers did not favour the idea of women working alongside them. Numerous applications for colleges and universities were turned down due to the fact that the applicants were females. Many women were angered by this sexual discrimination and decided to do something about it. Brave women organized lobbyist groups and founded women-only colleges in order to prove that, they too, were worthy of an education.

Female perseverance in attending medical school resulted in growing numbers on the medical scene. A few female patients realized that they preferred a female doctor since they perceived that women understood their problems much better than male doctors did. Despite this, it was still frowned upon by men to work alongside a woman.

Female lawyers were not seen in the courtrooms until one woman stepped out and dared to challenge the law. Clara Brett Martin became the first female lawyer. Through her years of schooling and hard work, she proved herself to be a worthy candidate. Surprisingly, however, she, among many others was paid less than half of what men received, even though both sexes were doing exactly the same work. This same type of sexism occurred with female teachers as well. Even though, by 1870, at least half of all teachers were women and still, they were paid much lower wages. Female discrimination occurred for over forty years until 1918. The first Women’s University enforced the Minimum Wage Act in order to protect women from low wages, bad working conditions and long hours. In addition to the other occupations women had opened doors to, there was still one final position they had to attain.

During the 1890’s-1910’s, women were uninvolved in the world of journalism. Unlike men, they were forced to overcome a sexual barrier that prevented them from writing for the newspaper.