How did women's lives in the 1920s differ from those of earlier generations?

Women’s lives in the 1920s changed tremendously. They differed from earlier generations in that they had a little more freedom. In 1920 the 19th Amendment was ratified and granted women the right to vote. Women began to work for pay and go to college. Magazines began publishing stories about young, educated women who drank cocktails, smoked, wore skimpy dresses, and enjoyed sex. Most women worked as secretaries, stenographers, typists, librarians, nurses, teachers, telephone operators, and salesclerks.
With increased earnings, women had more buying power and became part of the new consumer culture. They began to dress in the latest styles and danced all night to Jazz. The widespread availability of birth control allowed women to postpone marriage, decide when they were ready for children, and pursue careers. While women had gained more freedom than in the earlier decades, the topic of equal rights was still undecided. Women divided into two separate groups. The radical National Woman’s Party argued for an Equal Rights Amendment, while the moderate League of Women Voters fought for special protection, such as barring women from night work. In 1923, the Equal Rights Amendment was put before congress. However, they did not pass this amendment. Women therefore were forced to act with private agencies and reform associations to advance the causes of birth control, legal equality for minorities, and the end of child labor. The new women challenged America’s ideas about separate spheres for women and men, the double standard of sexual conduct, and ideas of proper female appearance and behavior.