Final answer:
The 1920s experienced a dynamic shift from traditionalist to modernist views of women, where the traditionalist perspective held that women should be modest and domestic, while the modernist view celebrated new feminine expressions of independence, professional and political engagement. The double standard and figures like the flapper highlighted the broader societal struggle with this transformation.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the 1920s, there was a significant shift in the perspectives and roles of women between traditionalist and modernist viewpoints. Traditionalists clung to the idea that women should adhere to Victorian standards of modesty and domesticity. In this view, gender roles were well defined, and women's virtue was closely tied to modest behavior and purity.
Contrastingly, the modernist perspective, embraced by urban women and flappers, encouraged new expressions of femininity that included sexual liberation, professional advancement, and political participation. Women sought to redefine their roles in society, and figures like the iconic flapper embodied this new independence. They dressed in ways that challenged traditional norms, danced to jazz music, and participated in the workforce in unprecedented numbers.
The emergence of the double standard reflected how modern societal and cultural standards were evolving. While women were finding new freedoms, there were still restrictive notions regarding behavior, which typified the broader struggle for equality and the tension between the old and the new. The 1920s saw women like Mother Jones advocating for labor reform, and there was a growing acceptance that a mutually satisfying sexual relationship was a component of a healthy marriage, challenging earlier perceptions of female sexuality.