Womens History: A Brief Overview - Essay Example

Women’s History: A Brief Overview One of the fundamental aspects of studying history is realizing the fact that different units of focus are represented as culture shifts and time goes on. For instance, if an individual seeks to understand the way in which colonialism had an impact upon colonized non-whites of the world, seeking to do so merely through a historical analysis and approach rooted in an understanding of pre-World War II viewpoints and theory would be a highly ineffective approach towards delineating this key research question. This is of course due to the fact that it took a fundamental shift with regards to the way in which colonized people were understood and appreciated in order for the history of this particular period to be analyzed through a different lens. Naturally, it cannot be understood that the particular unit of focus that has been utilized throughout the current era is the most effective. For purposes of this analytical research project, the author will discuss the way in which periods of women’s history have come to redefine gender roles and norms since the beginning of the 20th century. Accordingly, this student will present the reader with a greater level of understanding with regards to the impact that movements concerning egalitarianism, equality, liberty, self-determination, and eventually women’s suffrage had with respect to the way in which these determinants were eventually accepted by historians as a valuable means of determining the way in which past history had taken place and the inference that could be drawn from it. Firstly, it must be argued that merely because historians did not pay a close level of attention to the way in which women impacted history and their overall contributions to it, the reader should not come to the conclusion that these interpretations of history were correct. Rather, since the beginning of recorded history, and long before this time, women continue to represent fully half of the extent human population. As such, these women were vital stakeholders with respect to the way in which societies grew and cultural interpretations/legends/myths/religion were inferred and imparted to subsequent generations (Tharne 34). Accordingly, seeking to distance oneself from the fact that women only recently began to have an impact upon history and the means through which it is understood is and oversight of the most severe degree. Even though women within early modern and pre-modern society were most certainly constrained by a great litany of patriarchal norms, they nonetheless were able to have profound levels of impact with regards to the way in which these societies evolved and furthered themselves. Few historians argue that the past several hundred years have evidenced a rapid degree of change and growth with regards the way in which society is organized and integrated with other societies. Yet, it must not be understood that the change with regards to how women were viewed and how historians and scholars came to view their contributions to history was something of a watershed moment. Instead, the process was gradual; punctuated by key events throughout several decades. It is the ultimate premise an understanding of this author that the increased level of development, both technological and philosophical, is the main determinant for why women studies, the impact of women in history, and a general focus upon women’s roles and world affairs has shifted of late. Although it is difficult and somewhat dangerous to delineate a specific time in which this shift ultimately occurred, it must be noted that the core precursors to this happening can be found within the movements for equality, egalitarianism, and freedom that were exhibited around the globe; but came to a level of increased prominence in the early 20th century as a direct result of the zeitgeist of activism that permeated the political sphere at that time. This trend of female interjection into society and the way in which she issues of domestic and international importance were understood within the public discourse allowed women to perceive the fact that even further levels of integration with the likely to affect similar results. For instance, the women’s temperance movement, evidenced throughout the world; however specifically within the United States, denoted situations in which the governments throughout the world were forced to taking note of the demands that these vocal women were making. Within the United States, the temperance movement gained so much steam that it ultimately resulted in the abolition of all alcoholic beverages for a period of nearly 2 years. Naturally, the impact that such a movement had, although specific the United States, only help to underscore the growing range of influence and political clout that women began to express throughout the world. However, even though the issues of equality, self-determination, egalitarianism, freedom, abolition, and temperance are of great importance with respect to the way in which historians began to take note of women’s impact to history, it is arguably the right to vote/women’s suffrage that forced a fundamental reconsideration with regards to the impact that women have upon history. Just as with the previous levels of impacted that have been reference, the women’s suffrage movement sought to leverage this newfound power and political will as a means of providing a previously disenfranchised 50% of the population with the fundamental right of governmental self-determination. Ultimately, the long struggle for freedom and independence were rooted upon the belief that self determinism was a virtue that should be championed above even life itself. In this way, it is very easy to understand why such a movement took place at all. Many of the individuals that espouse this particular point of view are of the opinion that providing the right to vote for women would have opened Pandora’s box; hence, dissolving the difference between the sexes that exists within the current model. In this way, this represents one of the most interesting dynamics that took place around the turn of the century was the change that was exhibited with regards to women’s rights and the means by which elements within society sought to integrate themselves into the culture and workforce in ways that had never before been seen. Apart from being an important step towards the feminist movement, these indicators were also powerful and important with regards to the future of the Civil Rights movement throughout a world that had previously been a club dominated by old, white men. Moreover, one of the greatest changes that place during the Progressive Era was the integration of women into the workforce. Although many individuals might be led to believe that this did not take place until the Second World War, the fact of the matter is that the First World War offered a wealth of opportunities within the labor force provided by the vacancies left by men in the armed services. As a result of this change within the Progressive Era, the women within society were able to enjoy a great degree of liberalization with regards to both professional opportunity as well as cultural integration that had previously not been realized. As a result of this rigid stratification that existed, women were utterly unable to penetrate the cultural constraints that previously defined their existence. As a result of the changes that were realized, not only were labor opportunities made available but also the style of fashion and clothing came to represent a more manly and boyish dynamic that had previously been unheard of. Accordingly, the most popular woman’s hairstyles became bobs whereas with regards to the style of clothing, flapper fashion came into existence; representing a unique and noticeable divergent from the Victorian era where full length dresses were the norm. As such, the information that has thus far been analyzed points to the fact that there has not been a single instance or point in time that gender norms came to be shifted. Rather, shifts and changes that have been delineated throughout the major occurrences which have been referenced analysis help to bring about a gradual reconsideration of the impact that women had with regards to the way in which history has thus have changed gender norms accordingly. This fact notwithstanding, it must also be realized that the pressures placed on society as a result of the first and second world war saw women enter into the workforce to a degree and level that had previously been unheard of and unnecessary. As a direct result of this interaction and engagement with the workforce, the degree and extent to which women could exhibit a semblance of economic parity, at least on some level, with their male counterparts, meant that the manner through which they could engage the economy was fundamentally shifted. Although it is not the intention of this author to point to the fact that economics and transmission of wealth is the single most important determinant of all historical progress, it should be understood that the gradual shift that has previously been described was accelerated to a point of non-reversal as a result of this integration with the workforce. Subsequently, the generation that came to exist after World War II had concluded necessarily found themselves and a fundamentally altered landscape; one that was not so specifically dominated by male patriarchy; as compared to what it existed before. As could reasonably be expected, this particular period in time, punctuated by the hippie movement and the manner through which new ways of thinking, philosophy, understandings of sexuality and gender, acceptance of alternative lifestyles, and a litany of other “new” approaches allowed for the manner through which scholars and historians alike integrated with women’s issues and the impact that they can have upon history and completely different level. The coalescence of all of these trends during the 1960s and 1970s caused scholars within a litany of different fields to focus upon the way in which women can and should be integrated into the discussion of how history has taken place. Naturally, this was a retroactive realization and one that did not only have a bearing with regards to the generation of the 1960s and 1970s. What is meant by this is the fact that a profound understanding of women’s impacts and importance with regards to the way in which history unfolded required the scholars, in each of the fields referenced, to review and revise historical interpretation and understanding; taking into account the way in which women impacted upon the events that had thus far only been understood in something of a one dimensional manner. Ultimately, this viewpoint integrates the reader with the understanding that societal changes are oftentimes interminably slow and are not reflected by the mass or majority of population of the times. This has a particular connotation enduring for the present time in which other key issues of contention, within movements that are currently exhibited, divide popular opinion and help to set apart these standards that must be integrated within society as a function of time. Whereas it is oftentimes convenient to assert that historical interpretation is a process that makes dynamic shifts and changes, the fact of the matter is that minute levels of change over many decades, oftentimes centuries, has a culminating influence with regards to the way in which certain things are understood. If any one single event could be pointed to as a time in which scholars were forced to pay attention to the way in which women’s impact on history must be felt, it can be said to be the broad point in time in which women’s liberation movements began to demand parity with their male counterparts. Understandably, this period was quite long and defining this in and of itself as the watershed moment is vague; however, for purposes that have clearly been denoted thus far throughout this analysis, this level of ambiguity is part and parcel of the way in which this slow progression came to take effect. Works Cited Thane, Pat. "Family Fortunes." History Today 60.12 (2010): 33-35. Academic Search Complete. Web. 25 Oct. 2013. Read More