The Secret Lives of Women on the Home Front

The Secret Lives of Women on the Home Front

This talk will investigate three main areas of women’s unofficial involvement in aspects of the Second World War. Some of these areas made a positive impact on the war effort, while others were morally ambiguous or, even, actively damaging, but all of them went against the social norms of the day.

On the side of positive engagement was women’s dogged involvement in civil defence and para-military organisations in the face of significant government opposition. This was particularly the case in the Home Guard and Women’s Home Defence, both of which had strong presences in Edinburgh. We will also consider women’s roles in crime, forgery and the black markets, assisted by the structures and processes of the Second World War from blackouts to rationing. Finally, we will take a look at the rise in pre-marital and extra-marital sex that wartime allowed and the impact that this had on public health campaigns, illegitimacy and wider sexual freedoms.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Dr Kate Stephenson

Kate is a social historian and freelance heritage consultant based in Edinburgh. She specialises in the histories of clothing and sex and has featured on a range of podcasts as well as recording with BBC Alba and History Hit. She most recently appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Inside Health programme talking about the Rijksmuseum condom. She is also a published author with Exeter University Press and Pen & Sword and a keen eighteenth century and World War Two reenactor.

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