- Increased labor force participation. During the war, many women had entered the workforce to replace men who were fighting. After the war, many of these women continued to work, despite societal pressure to return to the home. This increased labor force participation had a lasting impact on the American economy and helped to open up new opportunities for women.
- Greater occupational opportunities. Before the war, women were largely confined to a few occupations, such as teaching, nursing, and secretarial work. After the war, women began to enter a wider range of occupations, including professional, managerial, and blue-collar jobs. This expansion of occupational opportunities was due in part to the skills and experience that women had gained during the war.
- Higher wages. During the war, women had earned equal pay with men for the same work. After the war, this parity began to erode, but women still earned higher wages than they had before the war. This increase in wages helped to improve the economic status of women and their families.
Negative impacts
- Discrimination and segregation. Despite the progress that women had made during the war, they still faced discrimination and segregation in the workplace. They were often paid less than men for the same work, and they were not promoted to as high-level positions. In addition, women were often segregated into "women's jobs" that were considered to be less important and less well-paid than "men's jobs."
- Loss of jobs. When the war ended, many women were laid off from their jobs as men returned from the military. This job loss was particularly acute for women of color, who were often the last to be hired and the first to be fired.
- Return to traditional roles. Despite the gains that women had made during the war, many were still expected to return to traditional roles as wives and mothers after the war. This pressure, combined with the challenges of finding work, discouraged many women from pursuing their careers.