Women on the Homefront

Woman on the home front:
Canadian woman became a very important part on the home front during the war years. They supported our countries war efforts through industries, organizations, contributing more to farms and their own home life, as well as fighting in battle.

• Cause and Consequence:
  Womans rights during the war years became a rising topic for a few reasons; woman were recognized for hard skilled labour, woman were looked at more as equals after the first world war was finished, and although woman were present in the first world war, world war two needed much more help and woman were encouraged to enlist.
  The fact that Canada did not do too well in the first world war, the government knew that we would need to be better prepared for world war two including a bigger, better army, better technology, and more funds and organizations to support them. With some woman in the workforce already showing their skills they quickly realized they would need woman to help out our country.
  Many woman throughout the war years fought for womans rights, one of the biggest influences being the famous five. The famous five consisted of five Canadian woman; Emily Murphy, Irene Parlby, Nelli McClung, Louise McKinney, and Henrietta Muir Edwards. They challenged the supreme court of Canada and eventually they came to victory and Emily Murphy was appointed to the office of Magistrate of the Juvenile Court in Edmonton. Woman also set up organizations and groups to show the government that they were strong, independent, and could support their country.
  If these woman had not taken initiative to question their rights, most woman would not have the confidence to do what they did. Woman showed their ability to take on jobs that usually only men would do, and their skills involved in the workforce and on the farms. If woman were not involved on the home front, I feel as though woman’s rights would still have developed at some point because woman felt so strongly about the subject.

• Ethical Dimension:
  Woman on the home front definitely shows the development of human rights. During the time period, it was normal for men to feel as though they were more of a person then a woman. But during and after world war two this all changed. Men would not like this because woman felt more in control and they could finally make their own money. Single men also had less job’s when they came back from the war which would affect them negatively. Woman also gained more confidence and no longer felt as little as men made them feel. The government at first was not very happy with the power that woman were gaining, but during the end of the war they realized how much woman had helped out, and that they really couldn’t of done as well as they did without them, and that was a big change of how men viewed woman.

• Historical Significance:
  The development of woman rights during the war years was very significant for woman all around the world today. Woman on the home front affected woman because their job employment rose, and they helped out a lot in industries and factories which began an advance in technology. Woman today are now more independent and mostly all Canadian woman have jobs and make a living on their own. Woman on the home front also affected children. Children had to take more responsiblity around the house when their mothers were gone. Children of only young ages, or only children, had to learn how to cook and clean and take care of the house. The development of woman rights also extremely affected men. There was fewer jobs for men when they got back from the war and they did not have as much power over woman.
  In a larger narrative, woman on the home front shows the development of human rights in general. During the time period, racism was everywhere and affected all decisions. When woman got more involved with the war and started to gain some of the same rights as men, african american and people of other races were also fighting for their own rights. It shows that every individual is capable of living a proper life and working just as other ” white male’s” would, and that we should not judge somebody for their sex or the colour of their skin.

• Continuity and Change:
  Many things have changed from the 1940’s to present day. The government at the time was all men and they did not think woman were eligible to be a part. Today the government is very open to woman, in fact woman can even run for positions such as prime minister! Woman have gained independence and are looked at in a stronger perspective. They have jobs such as fire-fighters  cops, doctors, lawyers, and government positions, that back in the day they never would have had. Throughout the war years and even till today, there is one thing that has never changed; the fight that woman bring. Woman created protests and organizations to support their sex during the war years, and it is still very popular today. Woman’s rights have developed over the years and many people in the world today, including many males, are against sexism.

 

 

It’s easy to see that without woman, Canada would not have been as successful as we were during world war two. Take a look at the following primary source which shows how woman’s invaluable help was recognized during the war years through a newspaper article:

http://collections.civilisations.ca/warclip/objects/common/webmedia.php?irn=5075214

 

 

 

Alesandra Akleh