OFM health
THE PATRIARCHAL DECLINE OF
by Zachari Breeding, MS, RDN, CSO, LDN, FAND
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icture it. 1945. World War II has ended, and the troops are coming home. This means the return to “classic” family values, right? Nothing could be further from the truth. It was this period of time that the de-evolution of nutritional health and well-being began, to the eventual detriment of public health across the country. But how did it all begin? Pre-war, gender roles were stringent, and frankly, men were content. Though many women went to work during WWI (1914-1918), many left their jobs as men returned from war. In the early 1930s, as the Great Depression wore on, women who did remain in the workforce were laid off—all because of societal norms and expectations that women were supposed to be wives, mothers, and homemakers. Though resources were limited, cooking at home was ultimately the least expensive (and generally the most nutritious) option for most people. Of course, folks of color did not have the same level of employment opportunities and food access as those living in the white suburbs which ultimately resulted in worsening nutrition and increased risk of chronic disease such as heart disease and diabetes. During WWII (1939-1945), women began to enter the workforce again in significant ways—millions of jobs were created, and thousands joined the military. The typical positions held by women at this time—also known as “pink-collar jobs”— included teachers, secretaries, nurses, and librarians, just to name a few. Many of these jobs were temporary or part-time.
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At the same time, 16 million men left their jobs to join the war. This job deficit provided ample opportunities for women to break into the job market and find their own American Dream. Still, newspapers, magazines, and other forms of media perpetuated the societal feeling that it was a woman’s role to keep tidy homes, raise children, and have a hot meal prepared for the husband at the end of the working day. The glass ceiling kept many women from obtaining employment in positions that would inherently keep them from their “duties” as wives and mothers. It was late into the war when food rations and finances ran tight for most families; this continued for years to come. As a result, one can find a series of recipes from this time period that focused on inexpensive ingredients including meatloaf (because ground beef was cheap), Jell-O with chicken or hot dogs, and Oslo meals (think old-school Lunchables). As the war concluded, women felt empowered and motivated to continue reaching for work outside of the home. This period of U.S. history, known as the “roots of the revolution,” is characterized by an influx of women choosing higher education and careers. As women infiltrated the workforce, there was a continued expectation that a “career” was still a long shot. Women attaining a college or graduate-degree education were encouraged to attain an “M.R.S. degree,” indicating the expectation that a woman’s true success was centered around marriage and service to a husband. As generations of men continued to push women into temporary or part-
