Introduction ~ Rights of women in Australia
- The increased rights of women in Australia during the turn of the Century can be attributed to the succession of the Women’s Movement that took place in Melbourne at that time.
- The first of these acts of feminism took place in the late 19th Century and the turn of the century, concerning largely women gaining the right to vote and stand for election in parliament. - Later, women attempted to gain equality with men in the workforce but in the turn of the century there was a large focus on women’s ability to vote and have a position in parliament. |
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Traditional Role of Women
In the turn of the century, women and men were expected to fill separate spheres of society. On the one hand, men were expected to fulfil a ‘public life’ whether that be in the workforce or socialising with other men in clubs, bars and other public places. Society, on the other hand, had a very restrictive view on the role of women, enforcing many limitations on how they should carry out their lives. Women were expected to be nurtures and home-makers and were destined to get married, have children and devote their lives to helping their husband and offspring. Unlike men, women’s free time ranged from sewing socks and other clothes to organising the family’s laundry.
The Upper and Middle Classes of women
Women in the middle and upper classes were much much better off than those that were in the working class.
Not many women in the middle-class went to work, because in the turn of the century, the societal expectations were that married women should stay in the home to run the household and raise their children. Although there were some women who did work, this was because they were in a desperate situation with little income from their husband. Men who had wives in the middle-class usually earned an income sufficient to support their family.
With the income from their husbands, middle-class women were not required to work unless it was work of a charitable nature, which was popular among middle-class women. Those in the upper class didn’t need to work because they were extremely wealthy and had inherited large sums of money. The girls from wealthy families were expected to attend private finishing schools that taught subjects like literature, French and the necessary qualities for women to run households and support their husbands.
As a result of these traditional expectations imposed on women during the turn of the century, very few women had the same opportunities as men, to a proper education. In fact, educating women was seen as perversion of the current ‘correct’ social order. Women were also entirely excluded from taking part in any sort of political activity whether it was voting or standing as a candidate for an election.
Not many women in the middle-class went to work, because in the turn of the century, the societal expectations were that married women should stay in the home to run the household and raise their children. Although there were some women who did work, this was because they were in a desperate situation with little income from their husband. Men who had wives in the middle-class usually earned an income sufficient to support their family.
With the income from their husbands, middle-class women were not required to work unless it was work of a charitable nature, which was popular among middle-class women. Those in the upper class didn’t need to work because they were extremely wealthy and had inherited large sums of money. The girls from wealthy families were expected to attend private finishing schools that taught subjects like literature, French and the necessary qualities for women to run households and support their husbands.
As a result of these traditional expectations imposed on women during the turn of the century, very few women had the same opportunities as men, to a proper education. In fact, educating women was seen as perversion of the current ‘correct’ social order. Women were also entirely excluded from taking part in any sort of political activity whether it was voting or standing as a candidate for an election.
How Women’s Rights and Roles have changed ~ 1900's Australia
Women's Involvement in World War One
During the First World War (1914-18), Australian women had the right to vote, however they did not have equality with men when it came to military and economic spheres. Women found their war work largely restricted to traditionally female areas of work in the food, clothing, footwear, and printing and textile industries. They continued to work as shop assistants in office work, in teaching and as nurses and whenever women replaced men in the workplace, it was only part of a reserve labour force. According to the Australian Government website, women’s participation in the paid workforce rose from 24% in 1914 to 37% in 1918. This was because of the increase availability of jobs as a result of the amount of men off in the armed forces.
Many people believed that woman had a short term place in the workforce rather than a long term right to a position there thus women were involved in temporary jobs in police force, in farming, in factories and in small businesses, working to fill in jobs associated with males. Clerical work was popular and around 10,000 women were undertaking this form of employment. Unions feared that females would take over men’s roles and eventually work at a men’s pay rate however women’s pre-war wages were only half of men’s.
With the large number of men volunteering for military service, the Australian government refused woman roles to be members of units attached to the armed force. Instead, women’s main wartime duties were in volunteer work, in poorly paid traditionally ‘female’ roles. The Australian Comforts Funds was one of the key organisations for volunteer women. It provided ‘comfort boxes’ to the soldiers which contained items such as knitted socks and scarves, cigarettes, matches and tobacco. Some organisations that supported the war effort include:
- The Australian Women’s National league, the Red Cross, the Australian Women’s Service and the Women’s Peace Army.
- Organisations such as the Red Cross sent food parcels to Australian prisoners of war and accepted women for voluntary work.
Many people believed that woman had a short term place in the workforce rather than a long term right to a position there thus women were involved in temporary jobs in police force, in farming, in factories and in small businesses, working to fill in jobs associated with males. Clerical work was popular and around 10,000 women were undertaking this form of employment. Unions feared that females would take over men’s roles and eventually work at a men’s pay rate however women’s pre-war wages were only half of men’s.
With the large number of men volunteering for military service, the Australian government refused woman roles to be members of units attached to the armed force. Instead, women’s main wartime duties were in volunteer work, in poorly paid traditionally ‘female’ roles. The Australian Comforts Funds was one of the key organisations for volunteer women. It provided ‘comfort boxes’ to the soldiers which contained items such as knitted socks and scarves, cigarettes, matches and tobacco. Some organisations that supported the war effort include:
- The Australian Women’s National league, the Red Cross, the Australian Women’s Service and the Women’s Peace Army.
- Organisations such as the Red Cross sent food parcels to Australian prisoners of war and accepted women for voluntary work.
Hundreds of women joined the newly formed Australian Women’s Service Corps (AWSC) as they wanted to prepare for a more active role in the war and support the soldiers as much as possible. These women served as ambulance drivers, cooks, hospital orderlies and in many other areas. The AWSC conducted basic military training for its members but the Defence Department refused to take the women seriously and they were not granted the right to fight with the male soldiers.
Until World War II women were restricted to the Australian Army Nursing Service. This role expanded in 1941–42 when the Royal Australian Navy established female branches in which women took on a range of support roles. Today women are free to be involved in the Australian Defence Force and other military based operation.