Women's Roles In The 20th-Century

Women's roles were arguable in the 20th-century, they had many limitations in politics, education and jobs. Many women disliked how they were perceived, women were described as “The weaker sex but the more virtuous one”(Canadian Encyclopedia). This description of what women were seen as in the 20th-century is why so many women came together to make a change. The way women banded together to change the way society viewed them had a big impact in history. Throughout the 20th-century women have made major impacts in Canadian society. If women had not fixated on changing the roles of women in war, work ethic and basic home lifestyle. Today's present lifestyle would be dramatically different to what we are used to.
Agnes Macphail had major impacts
“They worked hard and courageously in the face of the prejudices and resistance of the day. Together, they formed an unstoppable force that changed the world for women in Canada and in all Commonwealth countries” (Famous 5). One of their most notable accomplishments was winning the “persons” case.
Prior to 1929, women in Canada were not considered "persons"—at least not in the fullest legal sense of the word. Section 24 of the British North America Act (at that time, Canada’s constitution, the source of its highest laws) said that only "qualified persons" could be appointed to the Canadian Senate. The Canadian government had consistently interpreted this phrase as meaning men only.
(Famous
During the war women would take the men’s normal jobs “ Women have often assumed traditionally male work during wartime — a pattern that has, in some cases, contributed to the advancement of women’s rights.” ( Chenier). Women worked to produce ammunition in factories, as nurses, and manufactures etc. Many of women's contributions on the home front were equal to those of the men. After the war, there was progression in the way women were perceived, they had more opportunities. “Throughout the next wars, many women started working, volunteering and joined the public service organizations.” (Chenier). “During the first and second world wars they produced and conserved food; raised funds to finance hospitals, ambulances, hostels and aircraft; and volunteered their services inside and outside the country” (Chenier). With women working in different areas that men had once worked in it showed the amount of work they put towards the country. But, after the war women were having a hard time showing their relevance in Canada's work force as the men were back. After the war their wages would be less than men wages because everyone excluding the working women believed the women were no longer needed in the work field and should go back to working in the household. From that point women began a fight to prove that women are equal to men this fight is still going on in the 21-century by feminists around Canada.