Hope for change

The stock market crash left many Americans unemployed. “In 1932 and 1933, they hit bottom, down about 80% from their highs in the late 1920s. This had sharp effects on the economy. Demand for goods declined because people felt poor because of their losses in the stock market. New investment could not be financed through the sale of stock, because no one would buy the new stock” ("The First Measured Century"). Gender roles tightened up because men were employed over women. If a man in the family were available to work, the wife legally wasn’t allowed to. Men are traditionally defined by their work ethic, so if they couldn’t find work they felt as if they weren’t true men.

Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president in 1932. He was elected in hope for change, change in the economy and equality. “Roosevelt fought to keep protective legislation for women in terms of working hours or physical tasks, and Paul wanted an Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) that made women completely equal under the law” ("Women′s Rights in the Late 20th Century"). Together, FDR and his wife opposed racism and publicly supported women’s advancement in politics. They believed women could seek success in important decision-making positions in the federal government. The First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, pushed hard and supported women groups; she impressed generals to accept women into the military. “In May 1942, Congress instituted the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps, later upgraded to the Women’s Army Corps, which had full military status” ("Women in the Twentieth Century and Beyond"). Women began to be treated equally, working side by side with men once again. Women also started to be viewed as just as important to men in the military, as they took care of and nursed the injured soldiers.