Amid prosperity and progress, there were large pockets of the country that lagged behind. Advances in real income and improvements in the standard of living for workers and farmers were uneven at best. During the 1920s one-quarter of all American workers were employed in agriculture, yet the farm sector failed to share in the general prosperity (Faragher 429).

This fear of women participating in the labor force resulted in de-feminization was countered by newspaper advertisements that 'reminded' them of their femininity. These underlying themes are blatantly illustrated in many 1945 advertisements. The sexualization of women as a means of reinforcing femininity is very noticeable in advertisements for products such as Scotch Tape, Fomfit bras, and Mojud Hosiery (Ad. #10, 11, & 12). Unlike the traditional conservative portrayal of women in advertisements in the 1920s and 1930s, newspaper advertisements in the 1940s, pitching an array of consumer products, commonly pictured young, attractive, sexily dressed women in very provocative poses and postures.

Women too were drawn into the work force in record numbers to help fill some of the jobs traditionally occupied by men before the war, such as car company workers (Ad. #15). In fact over six million married and unmarried women joined the labor force during World War II: "The eruption of hostilities abroad generated an unprecedented demand for new workers to replace men gone to fight the war...increasing the size of the female labor force by 57 percent (Chafe 11)." Although the second global war gave many women an opportunity to get out of the house and into the work force, this newly acquired 'freedom' was explicitly checked and monitored. Women were often reminded that their 'freedom' was temporary and that once the war was over, they were expected to give up their jobs and return home to resume their role as housewives and domestic servants. This notion was repeatedly expressed in many staged and televised interviews. Another societal concern that was a direct result of the tremendous rise of women in the labor force was the fear that by women leaving the home and working in jobs ordinarily reserved for men, they would be somehow de-feminize them.

Thus, these advertisements directly linked a woman's femininity to her ability to perform appropriately in both of these vital spheres.

By 1935 over one-quarter of the labor force was without jobs. Men, who were considered the primary 'breadwinners' for their families and the sole supporter, occupied many of these jobs. But as the Great Depression emerged, it devastated many male egos, forcing them to question their manhood and their ability to provide for their families. In order to increase their morale, society promoted the idea that jobs should be reserved for male breadwinners and that women should not compete with men for the remaining scarce jobs. Newspaper advertisements from 1935 reflected these concerns and supported the argument that a woman's domain should be limited to her home.

Some common words found in the essay are:
War II, Iron Ad, Roaring Twenties, Evening Post, Jergens Lotion, Hosiery Ad, Moreover Women's, Ami Powder, Inlaid Flooring, Grunow Refrigerator, newspaper advertisements, labor force, domestic servants, world war ii, grunow refrigerator, world war, evening post, war ii, housewives domestic, 1920s 1930s, jergens lotion, housewives domestic servants, red star oil, bon ami powder, star oil stove,
Approximate Word count = 2045
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)