Women's Liberation in the 1920s

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America is the land of opportunity. It is a place of rebirth, hope, and freedom. However, it was not always like that for women. Many times in history women were oppressed, belittled, and deprived of the opportunity to learn and work in their desired profession. Instead, their life was confined to the home and family. While this was a noble role, many females felt that they were being restricted and therefore desired more independence. In America, women started to break the mold in 1848 and continued to push for social, political, educational, and career freedom. By the 1920s, women had experienced significant “liberation”, as they were then allowed to vote, hold public office, gain a higher education, obtain new jobs, drastically change their appearance, and participate in entertainment and sports. However, there are some that say that females were still suppressed by the advertising industry and stereotypes. But even with those setbacks, women achieved a new way of life that affected the entire nation.

A common misconception is that no women were allowed to vote before the 19th Amendment. In reality, females in most western states had been granted full suffrage as early as 1869, starting with Wyoming. Why did women’s voting rights first become recognized in the West? As a wild frontier, the West expanded the roles of women as they struggled to survive in the harsh environment. Gone was the socialite who attended parties, trailed her husband, and kept a nice house. In her place was a tough and weathered woman that, out of necessity, had to help run the ranches, plant the crops, manage the farm, and supervise the cattle as well as perform her customary roles as a mother and homemaker. In this sense women worked harder than men...

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