Women’s roles in the workplace are a result of a socially accepted expectation based on generalizations and stereotypes that society holds. These specific stereotypes generate widely recognized attitudes that often regard women as inadequate or inferior to men as it pertains to holding positions of public leadership. In the past, occupations associated with considerable amounts of power and influence were never stereotypically associated with the responsibilities or gender roles of a female. In fact, society constructed a “glass ceiling” specifically preventing women from advancing in occupations with considerable power and influence. This glass ceiling was especially pronounced and prevalent in the 1950s and 1960s, when men were driven…show more content… This term characterizes the trend of the creation of new perceived roles of both males and females in both the workplace and at home today.
The Second World War unintentionally changed American society and roles of women in the workplace. War raged overseas and men were drafted into the armed forces, leaving behind a chasm in America’s workforce. Women entering the workforce and aspiring to give aid to the American cause largely filled this chasm. The widely recognized poster of Rosie the Riveter is an example of a propaganda technique to encourage women to join the labor force to support the men fighting overseas. Rosie was depicted as a young, motivated, determined woman in a blue-collar factory worker’s outfit. She was popularized by widespread advertisement campaigns aimed at women to inspire them to take pride in joining the workforce and thereby contribute to the war effort from home. Alice Kessler-Harris (1983) states that “the real Rosie’s” worked hard and found their wartime experiences demanding, but also very satisfying and profitable (p. 250). Harris implies that the women involved in supporting the war effort felt they were contributing to America’s success as a nation, and thereby felt pride from their involvement. Harris (1983)
