Women. Expression. Freedom.

Expression is a form of freedom. Without self-expression our identities would be compromised. The world in which we inhabit would become a mundane society of uniform individuals.

As a woman in the present day, it is apparent that there are still some significant issues regarding gender bias in our society that urgently needs to be addressed. However, on a positive level, female empowerment is progressing fast, and women are able to celebrate this is in the workplace, at the ballot box, at home, and economically.

As Britain attempted to rebuild a traumatised country after the Second World War, women, who had played a big part in the war effort and who had undertaken all sorts of jobs that they would never have been allowed to do before the war, found that, as society gradually found its feet again, they resumed the more traditional role of mother and homemaker. When we examine life pre-1960s, it is obvious that the majority of women did not have the luxury of choice.

The societal pressures of producing offspring, ensuring household duties were attended to, maintaining a sweet-natured demeanour and appearing presentable, were paramount.

Conformity, the norm for most women. This meant that women had little or no say in important matters, be they political issues, matters relating to property, finance or earnings. It was not that they had fewer rights, it was just that society expected women to behave in a certain way and many conformed due to the stigma of class and/or shame. Some women were of course educated and followed successful career paths, but most were expected to have low expectations and look forward to catching a good husband and settling down to look after a family while the perfect husband went out to work. This made it extremely difficult to pursue a potential career, independence, or an education. Moreover, in terms of education in the 1960’s fewer than one in ten women went to university and most of those who did, studied arts or humanities; very few women studied scientific studies or law.

In fact, it wasn’t until the 1970s that the percentage of working women significantly increased, and more women went to university and started to branch out into different fields of study. Change took a long time despite the fact that women had proved they were just as competent as men having undertaken so many different roles during the war. Attitudes to employment prospects started to take a turn when the introduction of new technology increased the pressure to find employees, especially clerical workers. The two- income family was born, and society came to realise that the balance between work and domestic duties were feasible.

Looking back now, it seems quite shocking that half of society was suppressed and unable to contribute to society, other than as mothers and wives. The contrast is distinct when we look at the freedom we have now in comparison to earlier decades, in terms of expressing ourselves as women. Now over 50 percent of those entering higher education are women. We have had two women Prime Ministers; women are surgeons, top scientists, doctors and

award-winning architects. The world is our oyster. Even now, however, some individuals feel threatened by this change. Attitudes are changing, but as we can see from history change takes a huge amount of time.

In terms of how women present themselves things have changed too. Previously women were encouraged by society to dress in a certain way. Anyone defying societal norms were considered dangerous and unusual. In the 1950’s it was very much looked down upon to be anything other than glamorous and endearing. The pressure to conform and not wear too many or too few cosmetic products was evident. Loud and coarse behaviour was frowned upon.

As Katy Werlin from The Fashion Historian stated, “It was decided that men were serious and intelligent, while women were silly and superficial. Thus, the world of dress was confined to women. This idea has more or less remained intact today, colouring women interested in fashion as superficial.”

Today, although we still as a society hold a combination of questionable values, we can appreciate the fact that the majority of women can make all their own decisions and do not need men in their life, if they so choose. They can dress as they like, love who they like, train for any job that interests them and even run the country.

I had a chat with a couple of women to find out whether the majority of women today feel that they can express themselves completely, or if they still feel restrained by society’s regulations.

“I can have a career and access personal financial stability; I’m not chained to expectations of having children and looking after a home. I have strong opinions that I can express and engage about debates, learn whatever I want to instead of not being able to access information or be restricted in what I can say, wear, or do in my life.”

“I personally feel that whilst I have a certain level of freedom to express myself, especially to close friends and family, I still think that as a woman you are subjected to scrutiny from doctors, professionals, and even romantic relationships for reacting ‘as a woman’ to your feelings. Because of this, I think that there is still a level of reservation for women to express themselves in all environments.”

“I feel like I’m exceeding the old social attitudes of needing to live for a family in which allows me to live for myself. I can travel, focus on my career and have my independence which women from a previous era have worked so hard to allow.”

It’s evident that these women do believe we have advanced in terms of having autonomy over our lives and a greater amount of choice in our day to day. The question remains, when will we be treated as individuals without the label and stigma around the term woman or man? This too seems to be changing. Only time will tell.