Women in the workforce: feminist victory of economic necessity?

[Loony]

To what degree are the concessions afforded women today in the workplace the result of?

Hard-fought victories by the feminist movement over the past 40 years or due to economic necessity, such as a rising cost of living and that the average household in the western world is not longer able to function on a single salary?

We know that the feminist movement made large steps in making jobs more available to women, as well as better salaries. Some countries are still fighting on equal salaries. So are jobs available to women because of feminism?

OR

Life becomes more expensive. In years gone by people could raise families on one salary. But now both husband and wife hold jobs. So is it just because of an economic nessecity?

[X5N]

I've noticed that women working is seen, in the United States at least, to be an economic necessity and a bad sign that the economy is in the dumps. Liberal feminism, which is pretty unconcerned with true social equality, doesn't quite help. So I fully expect American gender roles to regress about sixty years, if capitalist "prosperity" is ever somehow attained.

[gorillafuck]

I would guess it's a bit of both.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Women were already in the workforce before feminism gained real traction...David Montgomery wrote about female lightbulb factory workers in Toledo, Ohio in the late 19th century, for example. They were heavily involved in the garment industry, as well.