10 Rules That Dictated Women’s Position During WWII

Malindine E G (Lt), Tanner (Lt), War Office official photographer/Wikimedia Commons

WWII shook the globe, but for women, it also flipped the script. As men marched into battle, women picked up the slack in factories, offices, and even military units. However, behind every riveted plane and typed memo stood a set of invisible guidelines, as society handed women a list of rules that dictated how far they could go. So, let’s take a look at ten rules that policed women’s choices.

Women Had To Register For Work

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The U.S. War Manpower Commission ordered women to sign up for jobs in industries facing labor shortages. Legal backing came through the National Service Act, which allowed the conscription of women, starting with single women aged 20 to 30. Over six million eventually joined the workforce, often stepping into roles long labeled unsuitable.

Married Women Needed Husbands’ Consent To Enlist

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Rules weren’t just set by governments; husbands had a say, too. In both Britain and the U.S., many military branches required married women to present written permission from their spouses before they could enlist. The Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps went further by actively discouraging married applicants altogether. 

Female Nurses Couldn’t Marry While Deployed

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Nurses in the Army were prohibited from marrying while on active duty. Discovery could mean discharge or reassignment. It wasn’t until the battle neared its end that the rule began to loosen, which was too late for many who had already chosen secrecy over separation.

Women Pilots Were Barred From Combat Zones

U.S. Air Force photo/Wikimedia Commons

Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) handled aircraft and cargo across the U.S., logging hours through storms and long-distance fatigue, yet combat zones were off-limits. Thirty-eight died doing the job, but no military honors or insurance followed. Moreover, Congress kept them civilian, denying the very recognition their uniforms suggested.

Female Journalists Were Denied Frontline Access

U.S. Army Official Photograph/Wikimedia Commons

Access came with limits, as female journalists were kept away from the front. Accreditation for battlefield reporting wasn’t even an option until the final stretch of WWII. That’s why reporters like Martha Gellhorn had to sneak onto ships just to get close. Still, they broke through, documenting concentration camps.

Women Were Forced To Leave Jobs After WWII

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As WWII wound down, governments and employers urged women to give up their jobs and “return home.” In the U.S. alone, more than 2 million were gone from the workforce by 1946—some pushed out, others pressured to resign. Meanwhile, male coworkers reclaimed their roles with open hostility. 

Cosmetics Use Was Encouraged For Morale

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The U.S. War Production Board kept cosmetics in ration lists, claiming they lifted spirits on the homefront and in uniform. In Britain, lipstick was framed as defiance, which was proof that resilience came in red. Even the U.S. military included red lipstick in service kits, folding glamour into duty as if morale came with a mirror.

Women Couldn’t Sign Military Contracts

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Women in the auxiliary corps served “at the pleasure of” commanding officers, without formal military contracts. That meant fewer rights, lower pay, and no guarantee of fairness. Plus, dismissal could happen without warning, and legal recourse wasn’t an option. It took years to recognize that commitment doesn’t need a signature to count.

Pregnant Servicewomen Were Discharged Automatically

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U.S. and British forces enforced strict rules—pregnancy triggered automatic discharge, no questions, no return. Married or not, expecting mothers were out. With no real options, some hid their pregnancies; others resorted to unsafe abortions. Decades passed before maternity protections saw meaningful change, long after the uniforms were folded away.

Women Were Assigned “Feminine” Roles Only

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Instead of matching skills to mission needs, officials funneled women into nursing beds and mess halls. And those with technical chops were looped into “ladylike” tasks—codebreaking, yes, but only if the uniform stayed neatly pressed. No matter how many shortages hit or how well women performed, the walls around “feminine” roles didn’t crack easily.