Though now a ubiquitous symbol of female empowerment, Rosie the Riveter was not originally conceived as a feminist icon. The U.S. government kicked off its wartime “Womanpower Campaign” in 1943 to encourage women to join the labor force in men’s absence. However, women’s participation was considered temporary, and it was expected that they’d return to the home when the war was over. In fact, many women did lose their place in the workforce as men returned. But Rosie the Riveter reappeared in the 1980s, deployed by feminists as a symbol of strength and resilience, her image largely scrubbed of its original context.
