posted by Tapestry
During the post-World War II era, the U.S. experienced an unprecedented economic upswing that led to a surge in marriage and birth rates (the baby boom era) as well as industrial growth. Christian family values predominated and there were restrictions on both contraception and abortion.
At the same time, the feminist movement started emerging, with feminist activists encouraging women to enter the workforce rather than being “barefoot and pregnant.” This societal tidal change also aligned with the interests of big business, which saw an opportunity to expand their consumer base by encouraging women to earn their own money. As noted in the video:
“The estrogenic menopausal hormone replacement therapy played a huge role in capitalizing on and fueling the surge in women entering the workforce. However, this proved to be a challenge, particularly for women with children.
Feminists advocated for greater liberation in career choices and expanded contraceptive options. Simone de Beauvoir, a prominent feminist of the time, controversially stated:
‘No woman should be authorized to stay at home and raise her children. Society should be totally different. Women should not have that choice, precisely because if there is such a choice, too many women will make that one.’
The number of working mothers quadrupled between 1940 and 1960. While the motivations of big business benefiting from increased labor and consumption … may seem evident, there were other forces at play behind the scenes.”
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#Historical