Timeline of women's legal rights (other than voting) in the 20th century
Hey kiddo! Today we’ll be talking about women’s legal rights in the 20th century, which means all the laws that were passed to protect and give women more rights and opportunities to do things they couldn’t do before.
At the start of the 20th century, women had very few legal rights compared to men. They couldn’t vote, couldn’t own property or make any legal decisions for themselves. But over time, laws were passed to change that and give women more rights.
In 1903, Mary Anderson patented the windshield wiper. Now, this didn’t seem like a big deal at the time, but it was the first time a woman had been recognized for inventing something publically. Then in 1919, women were allowed to vote with the passing of the 19th Amendment. Hurray!
But voting was just the beginning. In the 1920s and 30s, women began to make gains in education and the workplace. This meant that women started getting access to more jobs and higher education. They could study fields like science, engineering, law and medicine that were once dominated by men.
Then during WWII, women were needed to work in factories and offices to help with the war effort. This gave women even more opportunities to work and support their families financially.
The 1960s and 70s were a really big deal for women’s rights. Women’s liberation movements gained momentum around the world, and women rallied together to fight for equal rights and opportunities. Some of the laws that were passed during this time included legalizing birth control, making it illegal to discriminate against women in the workplace, and making it possible for women to get a divorce without asking for their husband’s permission.
Little by little, women gained more rights over the years. In the 1980s and 90s, women continued to break down barriers in education, politics, and the workforce. More and more women became lawyers, doctors, politicians, and business leaders.
Today, women have come a long way from where our great-grandmothers started. Girls can do anything they set their minds to and women can be anything they want to be. But there is still work to be done in achieving true gender equality, as there are still not enough women CEOs, politicians, and leaders in various industries.
At the start of the 20th century, women had very few legal rights compared to men. They couldn’t vote, couldn’t own property or make any legal decisions for themselves. But over time, laws were passed to change that and give women more rights.
In 1903, Mary Anderson patented the windshield wiper. Now, this didn’t seem like a big deal at the time, but it was the first time a woman had been recognized for inventing something publically. Then in 1919, women were allowed to vote with the passing of the 19th Amendment. Hurray!
But voting was just the beginning. In the 1920s and 30s, women began to make gains in education and the workplace. This meant that women started getting access to more jobs and higher education. They could study fields like science, engineering, law and medicine that were once dominated by men.
Then during WWII, women were needed to work in factories and offices to help with the war effort. This gave women even more opportunities to work and support their families financially.
The 1960s and 70s were a really big deal for women’s rights. Women’s liberation movements gained momentum around the world, and women rallied together to fight for equal rights and opportunities. Some of the laws that were passed during this time included legalizing birth control, making it illegal to discriminate against women in the workplace, and making it possible for women to get a divorce without asking for their husband’s permission.
Little by little, women gained more rights over the years. In the 1980s and 90s, women continued to break down barriers in education, politics, and the workforce. More and more women became lawyers, doctors, politicians, and business leaders.
Today, women have come a long way from where our great-grandmothers started. Girls can do anything they set their minds to and women can be anything they want to be. But there is still work to be done in achieving true gender equality, as there are still not enough women CEOs, politicians, and leaders in various industries.