A Second World War video advising men on the problems of hiring female factory workers reveals the sexist attitude faced by women entering the workforce.
The recently-unearthed film, which was produced by the US Office of Education in 1944, refers to women as ‘crazy’ and ‘sensitive’ and reminds men that women need to be explained rules in extra detail in order to understand.
In one scene the factory foreman admits he is ‘scared’ of his female employees. In another he is warned against picking a favourite due to women’s naturally jealous nature.
‘[Women’s] jealousy can cause you no end of trouble – avoid spending any more time with one than with another,’ he is told.
The 10-minute film, titled Supervising Women Workers, reveals the patronising way in which women were treated when they entered the industrial workforce during the war.
Between 1940 and 1945, the percentage of the U.S. workforce made up by women increased from 27 percent to nearly 37 percent.
By 1945 nearly one out of every four married women worked outside the home, many of them in jobs that were traditionally held by men including those in aviation and manufacturing.
Extra help: Men are told how women need extra information to understand basic rules. In one scene a male factory foreman, pictured, explains to a woman why she needs to wear a hat
Influx of workers: Between 1940 and 1945, the percentage of the U.S. workforce made up by women increased from 27 percent to nearly 37 percent. Pictured, women in the film
Struggles: The film acknowledges there are ‘problems’ with employing female workers
The film begins with factory foreman Joe sitting down with his boss for a talk about how to handle the ‘problem’ of female workers as he admits ‘women scare me.’
And his boss agrees: ‘Yes, women workers do present problems… it’s tough, I know.’
The video takes Joe through key tips for managing women. One centres around how women need more detail than men in order to understand instructions.
In one short scene, a foreman gets into an argument with a woman who is not wearing a protective hat whilst working in the factory.
The woman yells back irrationally: ‘Why pick on me? The other girls aren’t wearing their caps’.
According to the film, her response shows how female are unable to act reasonably and will ‘give you an argument and a crazy one at that’.
Helpful hints: The film sees the supervisor, picture, explain how best to handle the women
Jealous: The foreman is warned not to pick favourites as women are naturally jealous
However ‘Supervising Women Workers’ gives a solution and shows that in order to handle disobedient women in the workplace, you have to explain to her why the protective cap was necessary.
The sexism in ‘Supervising Women Workers’ is slightly tempered by a scene with Joe’s hardworking and patient wife – and serves as a reminder that the war could not have been won without women like those in this factory.
In another short vignette, Joe returns home to his wife, complaining about all the women asking for time off.
His wife then tells him she had to cook, clean, and take care of the children all day, at which point the foreman realizes that women really work two jobs, one in the factory and the other at home.