Gatsby and Women of the Roaring 20's

             It was usual for the men to be dishonest to their spouses, but for women it was almost impossible for them to even do anything along these lines. There were certain sports that men thought women weren't supposed to play, and whenever women tried to join and play sports with the,, they "doubted women could excel at them, women were called the inferior sex" (Pietrusa 1). Along with the emergence into society, came a new set of morals; women were beginning to think and act for themselves. They changed the man made stereotypes that they had been brought up to think, into something brand new. "Never had a drink before, but oh how I do enjoy it" (Fitzgerald 76). Women were starting to smoke, and even consume alcohol which was before seen as immoral, but now a thing of sheer beauty to every women following this movement. There was the beginning of the "working woman." For example, Jordan had a job being a professional golfer whereas Daisy relied on Tom's money to get by. Although there weren't that many women at the time getting jobs and trying to work and support themselves, their salary was ridiculously low (at around the pay of a child or sometimes even less). This was just another step that women took to show that men were no longer the dominant sex. As well as prove to not only their co workers but also their employers, that they were not the inferior gender anymore.
             Many of the rebellious women attended Gatsby's parties "and verandas are gaudy with primary colors, and hair shorn in strange new ways" (Fitzgerald 40). Before the twenties women were always expected to dress in dark colors, nothing too showy or bright, and conduct herself in an orderly manner. The hemline was at a strict below the ankle length and hair was to be worn long, nothing above the shoulders, it was always worn passed their shoulders. Daisy was trying to stay in the past by obeying her husband and conform to the "rules" Tom and society made for her, but once the feminist movement started swinging into full effect this all changed and everything went right out the window.