We Served Too: An Analysis

A social problem we face today, though it is arguable and seemingly only a social problem for women, is gender discrimination. As it stands, world women gain significantly less in wages overall compared to the male population. In fact, “women working full time earn 77% as much as men.” And, just until quite recently women were discriminated against in not being allowed to do certain jobs that were thought of as “men’s work.” A place where this was harbored was in the U.S. military, just to name an example (129). With renowned movements galore such as the renowned feminist movement, gender discrimination is on a seemingly solidified path set for decline as it has been in some ways such as women now being able to work in any career, but yet still

And the book, “We Served Too: The Story of the Airforce Service Pilots of World War II” elaborates on just that. It takes readers from female empowerment to the gender discrimination and gender stereotyping they endured all the while being powerful all set around the second World War. World War II was the first real and authentic experience and opportunity for American women to be able to branch out from what once was their typical traditional occupations. Rather than the prospects of being a homemaker, nurse, or teacher because it was the social norm of the day, women now were very much able to explore other interests and occupations. Women could now work in factories, but cooler than that women could now explore the aviation industry and women could now join the war effort itself exclusively in noncombatant roles in the military overseas as well as within the border of the U.S (1,

And likewise, Americans themselves were united. Everyone wanted to help win the war and claim victory for the U.S. regardless of the things that may or may not define them such as their gender, or their ability, or their race (1). It was no surprise that men enlisted consistently and all at once in the masses, and they too seemingly left all at once. With the majority of the male population fighting the war in some form or fashion, the U.S. government realized that the people left at home now where mostly women. So the government thought about what the women could do now to be of benefit for the country, as well as the war effort. As again, everyone was united for the war effort and willing to help in doing their part to bring victory to the United States (4).

The government launched campaign after campaign consistently looking to appeal to women with the idea to really get women excited all the more in supporting the war effort so much so that they would literally show up and take part. Campaigns would say statements such as, “Replace A Man for Combat” and “Do the job HE left behind.” And just like that, women joined with duties such as handling parachutes, operating radios, driving and maintaining trucks and vehicles, working in control towers, and working in the intelligence field