Gendering the Nation Online Museum Exhibit
Created by the class of HIST 465 (Topics in Women's History) 2015-16
Queens University, Canada
Gender and War
War: a time of upheaval, when everything changes out of necessity. The French Revolution brought about huge societal changes and women were able to use revolutionary sentiment to push themselves into the public sphere. Similarly, women during the First World War took advantage of the vacant positions in factories, farms, and industries to take on roles that had previously been inaccessible. Although women made great gains during the First World War, they were unable to maintain the momentum they had gained and were pressured to reassume their role as homemakers. At the onset of World War II, a significant portion of the labour force was lost, as men were called to active duty overseas. In the midst of this period of depletion however production could not cease as increased wartime demand heightened need for suppliers. Thus, the lack of available men and the need to mobilize an entire population in a common effort resulted in the immersion of women into the traditionally male dominated public sphere. These wives and mothers became the caretakers of the entire nation, sustaining their families while also producing wartime necessities, caring for soldiers and maintaining production at home. Though they were not on the front lines, these women became a dominant force in redefining gender roles. During the Cold War, women took on the new role as consumer of the household. Women actively engaged in new forms of leisure and employment; however these new roles reinforced their traditional gender role of being in charge of the domestic household. During these times of conflict, women were able to adapt to both the demands and constraints to carve out a space in their society.



