1750-1850 Gender Roles

….., 1750-1850 saw the start of changing ideas surrounding gender and gender roles across Europe. Although not empirically evaluated and synthesised during these years, it can be said that paradigms of thought were certainly were beginning to evolve, eventually marking a significant and more permeant change in gender roles and identities. During this period, many changes were afoot; The Industrial Revolution and as a result, the rise of the middle class, mechanisation and urbanisation. Barker, 1997 explained thats “This period of the industrial revolution marked mainly continuity but also potential change, the impact of industrialisation was diverse and varied in different regions and industries over time”, exploring the idea that change, while
Kenneth Morgan notes that, in Britain, mechanisation made it possible for women to do work normally only undertaken by men, however these new scientific methods of production were considered the men’s domain leading to a rise and fall in the ratio of men and women in certain trades. An example of this is milk production, which was a female dominated area of agricultural work until scientific developments dictated that it should be a man’s role. The invention of Arkwright’s water frame in 1769 led men to monopolise the cotton spinning industry, a previously female pursuit, and women were left to spin at home. However women in Britain also managed to dominate certain fields, Joyce Bernette explains that following 1841 the education sector went from having a 47% female workforce to 63% by 1851
The declaration of the Right of Man and of the Citizen in 1789 specifically excluded women and denied them basic political rights . The constitution of 1791 categorised women as ‘passive citizens’ and the National Convention in 1793 outlawed women’s clubs and popular societies. Although legislation in France may have limited women’s opportunities in a more obvious way, across Europe women were limited by the way they were viewed in society; often seen as extensions of their husbands will, with their worth defined by their connections to the men in their lives. Mary Weisner observed that across Europe at this time women went through ‘ages’. Be it daughter, wife or mother, their place in life was ultimately determined by whether or not they were married. Even when women did work it was, more often than not, with their husbands and their employment was not recorded, showing that their work was not deemed as valuable or worthy of recognition. Women generally couldn’t have any kind of opportunity for control over the main household income other than through becoming widows. Theodore Koditschek explains that it