This exhibit offers a glimpse of the ongoing struggle for women's political, legal, and social equality following the Representation of People Act of 1918. The First World War had brought new opportunites for women in politics and the workforce, but, in its aftermath, the demobilization of British soldiers threatened women's ability to maintain, much less attain, jobs in factories, administration, or Parliament itself. At the same time, questions arose with greater frequency regarding the socio-economic position of mothers in society, particularly with the large numbers of widows with children left behind after the War, and with the continuing difficulty posed by society's treatment of unmarried mothers and illegitimate children.
This exhibit uses the year 1920 to examine the intersections of gender, politics, and women’s organizations and showcase the ways in which women's organizations engaged with major issues of their time in print.
This exhibit is currently under construction.