How Successful Was The Women's Movement In The 1920s

Before the turn of the century, women had virtually no rights and a very minimal role in society. Despite the protests of the suffragettes, women did not have the right to vote and were still subject to unhappy marriages and limited types of employment. However, the women’s movement took off in the early 1900s. This movement was sparked by women’s participation in WWI, by the changing society of the 20’s, and by the public movement of the person’s case.

The women’s movement initially started with the role that women played in WWI. For example, working in factories for war production allowed women to become more involved, while having full time jobs for the first time. Women were also encouraged to become on site nurses overseas in the war zones. These nurses were called “bluebirds”. This was often encouraged at a young age since the average age for the bluebirds was 24 years old. (www.historylearningsite.co.uk) being nurses in the war zones gave women a chance to really become involved in the war but there were also downsides. The work was very mentally taxing on the women, and a total of 46 women lost lives, mostly because of the proximity of the hospitals to the front lines. (The Canadian challenge, pg.23) Women also had to “hold
Five women from Alberta (later known as The Alberta Five) took on a court of men in the Supreme Court of Canada to fight for their right to be considered “persons” and be eligible to be appointed senators. Even after being rejected by the Supreme Court of Canada the women were not discouraged. They took their case to the Privy Council in England, which at the time was the final appeals court for Canada. On October 18, 1929, the council ruled that women were “persons” and could become senators. This was the final step in bringing forth the issue of equality of the