"Women of Steel"

The photo essays by Margaret Bourke-White showed pride and faith that glamorized working women. They became heroic figures and shattered stereotypes of womanly work. 

(Streitmatter,153-155) 

Margaret Bourke-White made great strides in advancing working women in the workforce. By depicting these women as strong, capable workers, she inadvertently motivated women to seek even more opportunity to do their part in aiding the war towards victory. She highlighted their skills and abilities to do, what was thought at the time, “men’s work”. They did “men’s work” out of necessity for their country in support of the war while their husbands, brothers, or fathers were away during WWII. This photo gave many women pride and a sense that they were doing their part in the efforts to win the war.

Quotes from working women:

    

Sybil Lewis, who worked at Lockheed Aviation said that "it wasn't just a job": 

“You came out to California, put on your pants, and took your lunch pail to a man’s job. This was the beginning of women feeling that they could do something more".

Inez Sauer, who worked at Boeing, added:

“My mother warned me when I took the job that I would never be the same. She said, ‘You will never want to go back to being a housewife.’ At that time I didn’t think it would change a thing. But she was right…at Boeing I found a freedom and an independence that I had never known. After the war I could never go back to playing bridge again, being a club woman…when I knew there were things you could use your mind for. The war changed my life completely". 

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