The 1950s are remembered as a time of conformity and domesticity, especially for women. The devolving role of women being removed from the workforce laid the groundwork for feminist and LGBT movements during this time. Public spaces played a role in helping these communities form connections and resist the pressures of a society that sought to marginalize them. Following World War II, women who had entered the workforce in large numbers were expected to return to the domestic sphere. After the war, there was a “huge media campaign to get these women back into the home.” (Chris Gatt) National messaging actively tried to reverse the independence and public engagement that women had briefly gained. Public spaces such as workplaces or informal gathering spots still provided women with opportunities to connect and maintain some sense of autonomy, contributing to the growth of awareness and eventually resistance. For the LGBT community, the role of public space was even more direct—and more dangerous. The article Gay Rights states, “gay men and women in New York City could not be served alcohol in public due to liquor laws that considered the gathering of homosexuals to be 'disorderly'” (History.com). Even existing in public as a LGBTQA+ person would be treated as a disruption. Fortunately, some LGBTQ+ individuals found creative ways to push back. One example is the 1966 “sip-in” protest at the Greenwich Village tavern Julius. While it occurred slightly after the 1950s, the event symbolizes how public venues began to serve as sites of defiance.
Work Cited
Chris Gatt. “MissRepresentation - after WWII.mp4.” YouTube, 21 Apr. 2012, . Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
Chris Gatt. “MissRepresentation - after WWII.mp4.” YouTube, 21 Apr. 2012, . Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
History.com Editors. “Gay Rights - Movement, Marriage & Flag | HISTORY.” HISTORY, 28 June 2017, www.history.com/articles/history-of-gay-rights. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.