During the 1950s, anti-communists picked, pointed out, and exaggerated differences between the United States and the Soviet Union/communist nations. In the book chapter “Manly Men and the Little Women” by Mary Brennan, Brennan speaks on how US anti-communists would contrast their idea of soviet women to American ones. Because Soviet women were part of theContinue reading “Ideal 1950s American Women”
Category Archives: Week 5: Cold War Society
“Behind Every Successful Man, There is a Woman”?
The idea of domestic containment centers on a woman’s role in maintaining the household and rearing children. As the Cold War gave way to anticommunism in the 1950s, domestic containment rose in popularity across America. Where men fought against communism outside of the home, women did their part inside the home. It was arguedContinue reading ““Behind Every Successful Man, There is a Woman”?”
Girl Power?
During the 1950s, the idea of domestic containment gained adherents due to several factors, including the end of World War II and the beginning of the Cold War. With the threat of communism, many Americans wanted to strengthen their national identity and promote traditional values to counter the perceived communist threat. The gendered beliefs ofContinue reading “Girl Power?”
Gender Norm Breaking
In the midst of the Red Scare in the 1950s, there were many topics that were considered questionable. Of these topics were communists, people who were gay, and those who did not conform to the nuclear family standard. Men were to be the head of the household and women were to be the caretaker. WomenContinue reading “Gender Norm Breaking”
Wait, women have their own opinions?
Due to the threat of communism, the pressure to conform to traditional ideals was high in the 1950s. This was illustrated with the importance placed on domesticity and the idea of the “female homemaker.” Domestic life and the nuclear family were considered the “American way of life,” in direct contrast with the communist system (Brennan).Continue reading “Wait, women have their own opinions?”
The little woman
Domestic containment gained adherents during the 1950s to establish what a proper democratic, capitalist American society was meant to look like during the Cold War. To combat the communist way of life, the true “American” way of life was domesticated around the country and centered around the female homemaker with a traditional nuclear family. WomenContinue reading “The little woman”
Blog Post
In the 1950s and 1960s the idea of the nuclear family and the female being the homemaker was emphasized. During the war, women entered the workforce and took over the roles that were male dominated. However after the war ended, men wanted women to go back to the household. For many women, being a housewifeContinue reading “Blog Post”
American Women: Cold War era
The cold war era had been marked in the United States as a period of social turmoil. The main social issues were highly centered around gender roles and mainly women’s roles. The role of American women post-war era was incredibly critical and controversial. The idea of “domestic containment”, derived from the containment policy under theContinue reading “American Women: Cold War era”
Breaking the Sterotype
As a society, we hear that women belong in the kitchen and at home a lot. Women tend to be underpaid compared to men that work in the same field and even in the same position. Has sexism progressed through time, and has it gotten better? Yeah, some. Today, there are still many who stillContinue reading “Breaking the Sterotype”