In a time of modernity, which changed areas such as industry, technology and consumerism; the participation of women within the new global economy was limited.  Most women were expected to continue to be homemakers and live out a gender ideology which relegated them to be dependent on the breadwinners of the families, which were the males.  The attempt to modernize fisheries in the Maritimes displaced women from their original role in the fish processing, where women were highly integral, forcing them to take up the gender ideology of Western Europe.[1]  Miriam Wright in Young Men and Technology: Government Attempts to Create a “Modern” Fisheries Workforce in Newfoundland, states that the government implemented policies that encouraged males to take over the fisheries solely, pushing out women of the economic structure of fisheries.  Reducing women to pursue homemaking and hoisting males to be the breadwinners of the family, even though this was not part of the traditional gender ideology of Newfoundland.[2] Another group of women, the Japanese picture brides, who emigrated from Japan to marry Japanese men living in Canada, displayed absolute submission and self-denying service of traditional homemaking duties, despite the rapid modernization around them. Women in both situations continued to live under the old gender ideology, even though modernity was changing the environment around them.[3]

After discussing women continuing to perform traditional, homemaking roles, there was room to create an identity outside of their homes and become independent due to modernization, however the opportunities were limited.  Donica Belisle in Toward a Canadian Consumer Society reflects that for women “consumption has been vital to social activity and cultural identity”.[4]  “Consumption has also operated as a form of individual self-expression” allowing women to create an identity and express their freedoms.[5]  Modernity creating a consumerist society was a way women got out from the old gender ideology.  Thinking along the lines of modernization, industry created jobs and gave some women the opportunity to make a wage and become less dependent on the male breadwinners and express individuality through consumption. Both the Newfoundland women who got some responsibilities of fish processing back and job opportunities for Japanese picture brides.[6]  One example of a Japanese picture bride, who was able to save up money through wage earning jobs while still being a homemaker to buy a house and turn it into a restaurant allowing her to live an independent life because of the changes to industry through modernization.[7]  Though these stories are few, thus giving cause to use the word “limited” to explain the experience and options of the 20^th century woman. Through consumption and the ability to get wage earning jobs, opened up opportunities for women to challenge the gender ideology.

[1] Wright, Miriam. “Young Men and Technology: Government Attempts to Create a ‘Modern’ Fisheries Workforce in Newfoundland, 1949-1970.” Labour / Le Travail 42 (1998): 145-146

[2] Ibid,. 148-150

[3] Midge Ayukawa. “Good Wives and Wise Mothers: Japanese Picture Brides in Early

Twentieth Century.” BC Studies, 105 no.6 (1995): 106-107, 117-118

[4] Belisle, Donica. “Toward a Canadian Consumer History.” Labour / Le Travail, 52 (Fall 2003): 187

[5] Ibid,. 191

[6] Wright. “Young Men and Technology”: 158.

[7] Ayukawa. “Good Wives and Wise Mothers”: 115