In the twentieth century women, were fundamentally govern by their marital status. It started when they were in their parents’ house. Usually, the dad would look for the right husband, even if their daughters were really young. Sometimes the husband would be twice their age. The only life they knew was to serve others. Being a wife and mother were women’s most significant professions. Women have fought throughout the years to be able to have equal rights then and are still fighting for it now.
In the 1900s, women had no choice if they got pregnant; terminating a pregnancy was out of the question. If a woman did get pregnant, she was the one who would be responsible for taking care of the child and its upbringing. For decades, pioneers fought for a contraceptive that women would be able to control. In 1960 the birth control pill was introduced to the market. What a breakthrough this was because, for the first time, women would be able to choose what they wanted to do with their pregnancy. Currently, there are so many different types of contraceptives besides the pill, which women can choose from. Now women have more control over their bodies and the type of birth control they prefer to use.
If domestic violence was present in a marriage, it was seen as a private matter rather than a crime. Wife abuse was such a common thing for everyone; it was so common that people would make jokes out of it. There was domestic violence, not only between spouses but also between kids and parents. So much has changed in 100 years domestic violence is seen as a crime and it’s punishable. Authorities are taking domestic violence more seriously now; jail time may be included in these sentences.
It was so hard for women to get a good job in the early 1900s. This was very normal; what was the point of getting a job when everyone knows she will not be able to work after she gets married. After marriage, the only job was to take care of the house, the husband, and the children. Women were made to serve; there are still some cultures these days that categorize women on that same level of only serving others. Today, women have jobs where men have to report to them. In 2016, we almost got a woman president. There are very few jobs out there that a woman cannot do, and now they get to prove to the world that a woman can do a man’s job.
Today, women are still fighting for their civil rights and equality because there is still discrimination against them. Women are allowed almost everything, but they are still discriminated against and being belittled almost every day. Women are able to vote, choose a job they want to, go to school at the highest level without anyone stopping them. There is no telling what the future holds.