Before the War: Women commonly were not found in the workforce at all before World War I. Many people felt as if women should just stay at home and take care of the children and house, while the men would work at jobs. Some women did not have a problem with this, as this was how they were raised, but some would rather work just like men did.
During the War: During World War I, some women at home took the chance to grow "victory gardens." These gardens were grown at homes, schools, playgrounds, pretty much anywhere. Not only did they grow food and prevent food shortages, but they were also a sense of patriotism and doing something for the country. During this time, some women were even on the front lines working as nurses, as many women were raised with some knowledge of tending to wounds.
After the War: After World War I, women realized that they could do many things by themselves that they did not know they could do. They were so used to relying on their husbands or fathers telling them what to do, that many got stuck in a dependent mindset. Now, many women were realizing that they were in fact independent. Along with women now realizing this, they wanted equal rights and voting rights, which with the women's suffrage movement, which lasted for decades, they eventually got the rights they deserved.