A new group of working women developed in the United States during WWII. Women worked prior to the war also, but they were more commonly of lower economic status and minorities. The war broke the cultural labor divide which existed in society, women were no longer limited to working at home and men outside. Women joined the workforce more and more as the need of labor increased and men went off to war. This led to more and more women taking on the role of temporary labor force in war industries.

In order to reach out to a larger community of women, the government launched propaganda campaigns so sell the need and importance of women in industry. This tactic created an image of a “working gal” called Rosie the Riveter. She was the ideal image of an American woman and worker. Her example reached out to women regardless of their age, class and race. Women boldly took on factory jobs, leaving their old jobs behind in order to complete the new demand for labor.