Ideal, reality and opposition : white women in Durban, 1900- 1920.
Abstract
In 1900 Durban's white' society closely resembled its British counterpart. As in Britain an ideal of womanhood encompassed various generalisations concerning woman's true nature and purpose. Women were upheld as pure, chaste nurturers, and homemakers. In order that they might remain so fufil their destiny as wives and mothers, women were expected to remain in the private sphere, protected and supported by bread-winning husbands and fathers. Reality did not conform to the ideal Not all women were happy or satisfied by marriage and motherhood Large numbers of women were neither supported nor protected but forced to enter the public sphere, finding employment to secure a livelihood. They faced discrimination within an ideology which admitted them to the labour force under sufferance Women's work' was poorly paid, of low status and offered little opportunity for advancement. For these and other reasons some women became prostitutes . The prostitution issue was extremely controversial in the period under discussion. Ambiguities and contradictions inherent in the ideology of sexuality were revealed, as were various attempts to cope with these issues. Prostitutes were exploited sexually but this exploitation was at least lucrative. Continental womed probably
earned more money in a year than a housewife, cleaner or factory
'drudge' ever saw in thei r lives . Many women therefore chose to go beyond the pale of society . Women resisted constraints placed upon them in a number of ways: they refused offers of marriage (supposedly their highest attainment); they left their husbands; they attempted to learn about and obtain forms of contraception, in direct opposition to the ideology
of motherhood; they risked abortion despite the possibiIity of death, injury, prosecution or societal ostracism. Women attempted to improve their wages, working conditions and status. During the Great War' some of their ambi tions were real ised though most concessions gained were lost by 1920. Most of Durban women's organisations (all middle-class) accepted
and were reflective of the ideals held by society. The Women's
Enfranchisement League however, though working within the ideology
of the time, challenged women's relegation to the private sphere.
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Strategic significance of concessioning the Durban container terminal in the port of Durban.
Lutchman, Vishaal. (2005)The study investigates, with an intension to establish, the strategic significance of concessioning of the Durban Container Terminal in the Port of Durban. A strategic perspective firstly considers the concessioning in ... -
Local is lekker? : a study of the perceptions of contemporary South African popular music among Durban adolescents at five culturally diverse schools in the greater Durban area.
Ralfe, Sarah Isabel. (2005)Is local lekker? This study looks at the perceptions the youth in Durban hold towards local music. Through a study of the Grade 11 learners at Bonela Secondary, Gelofte Skool, Hillcrest High School, Thomas More College ... -
Exploring current views and methods of recycling in Durban's CBD : a design proposal for a self-sustaining waste recycling system in Durban.
Lott, Derryn Richard. (2016)The management of urban waste streams is increasingly becoming an issue as modernisation and a new consumerist culture takes hold of cities globally, resulting in greater production of waste and an even greater need for ...