I think that during the Cold War era and the Atomic bomb took women in the home to a whole new level. The "Lucille Ball" of housewives hit there peak during this time. Yes, women held the roles of wife, mother, and homemaker before, however, at the time of the atomic bomb women were sent home expected to step up there game. Women were a new class of soldier on the homefront. The reading hits upon how women could not have a dusty household because having a dusty home means that atomic debree could get in and hurt the family. The FCDA depicted the house work to be serious and professional jobs entrusted only to women because they "knew" the home and how it worked. The chief of the FCDA claimed, "failure to incorporate civil defense into the household would be like a "fifth column" action which undermines our national defense". Which is why women were required to make the fall out shelter a home not just a place to exist until the bomb threat was over. Women were in charge of keeping panic to a minimum and family under control while the men are out "saving" everyone and working.
Which leads me to my next point and how men are seen as this protector and "bring home the bacon" kind of morale. While leaving women completely understated. At one point the article brings up how a widow is basically done for because she has no man to build her and her family a fallout shelter or provide food and nourishment to the family.
Even more inferiorating is women did rise to have some power. Yes, "power" to which was limited by a mans every whim. Katherine Howard was the deputy administrator of the FCDA and the first woman in any federal agency to become second in command. This is a great accomplishment and took a lot of integrity, I agree. However, her role was to deliver speeches, appear on radio shows, hold press conferences and worked as a liaison to Congress. She sent messages that explained how strong woman were and took on the female perspective. All well and good except her speeches and many appearences were all written for her. If you think about it the military/government used her appearance to appease woman and children around the country. She was not used for her knowledge or capabilities but used as "mascot" as the reading points out. How did woman not see how they were being underhanded. The reading says that men are bestowed by God to take care of everything, "We, gentlemen, are one half of the human race. We were put into this world to brood and nurture, train and protect humanity. That is a function given us by nature and by God." Basically, women were being placed aside to look pretty and keep home. And Howard was just a woman who kept woman in their place. I don't whether she did it knowingly or not but her job was to make sure women know how important it is not to keep a dusty home and make sure that the fall out shelters are nice a pretty to live in. The whole film and reading depicts the separation of gender roles in an immense way. Men=work. Women= clean. I believe this where the woman as the homemaker and man as the provider really solidified itself.
