Where do people get the strange idea that women didn't work before World War 1?

Probably from the view that is typically taught of women staying home and taking care of the house and kids. Of course the thing I love is that we're also taught that before WWI women were school teachers and nurses, but that seems to be glossed over in favor of the former (taking care of the house and kids). We're not taught about the jobs women might have had.

One thing to check out is the British series (or it's website listed below) Worst Jobs in History, hosted by Tony Robinson. Though best known as the dimwitted Baldrick in the Black Adder series (well, not dimwitted in the original, but in all the other Blackadder's he's the idiot of the group), Robinson is actually considerably different from his character. And one of his interests is history. Worst Jobs in History is about, as the name explains, some of the worst jobs in history. Which includes jobs women did.

i guess woman just never really was put in the "SPOTLIGHT" ..... for working? people liked to hold the image that the woman was a gentle soft creature that was very vanurable and needed protection.

I guess people (men) never wanted to share the spotlight and reveal that most woman usally worked just as hard or even harder then men did !!!

Until WW1 , Men were always protrayd as a strong ruthless people. so when most of the men were of at war i guess the spotlight was first finally shone on the hard woking women !!!

I guess it was at this time that the question was asked "What will happen to our country if our men have have left?"

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Women have always worked apart from the privileged classes.

They were in service as maids, cooks and other domestics, governess & teachers, right back to 'Dame schools'; they worked on farms in factories, shops, markets, in coal mines, some even disguised themselves as men & joined the army and one was a pirate (nice work if you can get it!)

Don't forget 'the oldest profession' as well.

Some were even just house wives!

You know how Americans love to stereotype and you know everyone doesn't believe that.

Personally, I think America was better off when only one spouse (husband or wife) had to work to support the family and wish we could return to those days.

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