Advertisements as Mirrors and Makers of Women’s Social Roles in Mid to Late 20th Century America (1946-1999)

Abstract

Due to the two world wars in the 20th century, there was a great demand for labor and enhancement of morale in the United States. Thus, propaganda campaigns for women to join the military and workforce started to emerge. The allegorical figure of Rosie the Riveter resulted from this wave as she represented women who were capable, skilled, and feminine in the workforce. Women began to challenge gender norms to be solely pure and moral by working to define their own roles. For a short period of time, society accepted and even considered women who worked outside the domestic sphere to be patriotic. However, despite the constant emergence of new ideas, advertisers persistently restrict women to a singular and limited view of femininity in American society. While women fought for themselves, they faced continuous barriers brought by the media, particularly in advertisements. In the post-WWII era, advertisements both reflected the reality of American women in society and also worked to shape their societal role and expectations, creating tension as women responded to those ads by striving for their recognition.