Propaganda Shaping the Gender Role of British Women In World War One

Document Type

Oral Presentation

Campus where you would like to present

Ellensburg

Event Website

https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source

Start Date

16-5-2021

End Date

22-5-2021

Keywords

Propaganda, Women, World War One

Abstract

This presentation will address how propaganda altered the gender role of women in Great Britain during World War One (WWI). Often overlooked for their contributions, the women who worked to directly support the war effort on both the home and war fronts were inspired by propaganda that helped to define the role of women in wartime. Not only is WWI often overlooked within the study of war literature, but also the roles and perspectives of women during that time is under researched within the realm of literary study. This presentation analyzes several propaganda posters targeted at women during WWI, and utilizes a gender theory approach to highlight how propaganda both defined and constrained the gendered expectations of women. By examining the propaganda of the time, this presentation reveals that women were crucial to the war effort, and by serving their country through war work, the gendered role of women was altered forever. The larger implication of this study is illuminating the impact that propaganda had then and now on the structuring of gender roles, as well as the need for new research on the diverse literature of WWI, including the work of Evadne Price and Mary Borden, wherein female authors and characters are the focus. Winner, College of Arts and Humanities Presentation Award

Faculty Mentor(s)

Christopher Schedler

Department/Program

Communication

Additional Mentoring Department

https://cwu.studentopportunitycenter.com/propaganda-shaping-the-gender-role-of-british-women-in-world-war-one/

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May 16th, 12:00 PM May 22nd, 12:00 PM

Propaganda Shaping the Gender Role of British Women In World War One

Ellensburg

This presentation will address how propaganda altered the gender role of women in Great Britain during World War One (WWI). Often overlooked for their contributions, the women who worked to directly support the war effort on both the home and war fronts were inspired by propaganda that helped to define the role of women in wartime. Not only is WWI often overlooked within the study of war literature, but also the roles and perspectives of women during that time is under researched within the realm of literary study. This presentation analyzes several propaganda posters targeted at women during WWI, and utilizes a gender theory approach to highlight how propaganda both defined and constrained the gendered expectations of women. By examining the propaganda of the time, this presentation reveals that women were crucial to the war effort, and by serving their country through war work, the gendered role of women was altered forever. The larger implication of this study is illuminating the impact that propaganda had then and now on the structuring of gender roles, as well as the need for new research on the diverse literature of WWI, including the work of Evadne Price and Mary Borden, wherein female authors and characters are the focus. Winner, College of Arts and Humanities Presentation Award

https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2021/CAH/6