DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN 1900-2000
Women’s rights have changed drastically since the 20th century, but how were women viewed and treated during that time?
NAZI GERMANY AND POLAND:
Articles on discrimination in Nazi Germany focus mainly on anti-Semitism, often dismissing other races and, therefore, women.
Hitler believed in running traditional households and was not opposed to promoting these ideas. He viewed women as inferior to men and thought that their lives should revolve around the three K’s – Kinder, Küche, Kirche (children, kitchen, church). This provided women with a highly restrictive lifestyle. This was mainly because he wanted their jobs for unemployed, restating the point that men were superior.
Women and girls were also treated differently in Poland. Jewish girls were more likely than boys to attend a regular school, learn the Polish language and learn useful skills even though they would not join in the family business later on in their life. Another consequence of not being allowed to have a job, was that Jewish women were less likely to have non-Jewish acquaintances therefore leaving them no one to protect them while they were under Nazi persecution.
WOMEN’S RIGHTS:
Women suffrage was a pivotal moment for women’s rights, but what are some things that women were only given the right to do in the past century.
1919-
The Sex Disqualification Act was passed and women were given the right to
Serve on a jury and have a legal profession.
1929-
Women became ‘persons’ in their own right under Canadian Law
1958-
Women were allowed to sit in the House of Lords
1975-
Women were given the right to open a bank account in their own name
however single and working women could not apply for a loan or credit card
without a male signature
1982-
Women were allowed to spend their own money in a pub