Module 5: The Workforce

During the 1960s and 1970s, women’s participation in the workforce expanded significantly, driven in part by the Second Wave Feminism movement, which called for greater gender equality in all aspects of life, including employment. As women increasingly sought careers outside of traditional domestic roles, they faced numerous challenges, notably sexism and discrimination. Many industries had rigid gender roles that relegated women to lower-paying, lower-status positions, even when they were equally qualified for higher-level work. The societal belief that women were primarily suited for home and family roles persisted, and women who entered the workforce often encountered a "glass ceiling," a metaphorical barrier that prevented them from advancing to top executive positions, regardless of their qualifications or experience.

At the same time, women in the workforce struggled with other issues like sexual harassment, which was largely unrecognized and unaddressed during this period. The feminist movement began to raise awareness about how women were frequently subjected to inappropriate behavior in the workplace, yet many legal protections and policies to combat harassment were not yet in place. Men typically earned more for the same work, women’s wages were often lower, reinforcing systemic gender inequality. 

However, the US economy began to enter a long period of decline in the 1970s- just as women were entering the workforce.  This was a time of high inflation and unemployment rates resulted in economic stagnation, making it harder for families to maintain financial stability. Women were often forced to work out of necessity; It was no longer an option for many women to join the workforce as economic changes meant that the husband's paycheck was no longer enough.  This created two-income households, in which families were still struggling.

Despite these obstacles, technological advances in the 1960s and 1970s played a role in opening up new career paths for women, especially in fields like typing, secretarial work, and later, data entry and computer programming. These shifts represented a growing diversification of the workforce and presented new opportunities for women to enter and excel in traditionally male-dominated industries. However, the promise of equality in the workplace remained elusive, as many women continued to face discrimination based on both gender and their role as primary caregivers in two-parent households. The combination of economic pressures, technological change, and the demands of feminist movements spurred legal reforms, such as the Equal Pay Act and the creation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, but the struggle for true workplace equality would continue well beyond the 1970s.