[Play jingle.

] Theres something true about red, white, and blue, about Rosie the
Riveter. As the juggernaut of World War II swept men off to war, the United States
experienced a void in labor. The government thus developed a propaganda campaign to
recruit women into the labor industry. At the center of this campaign was the fictitious yet
captivating Rosie the Riveter. Featured in media ranging from paintings to songs, Rosie
first appeared in a 1942 advertisement by the Westinghouse power company. The poster,
in which Rosie flexes her muscles and exclaims, We can do it!, calls upon women to
break out of their traditional roles as homemakers and assume responsibility for the
nation. The Westinghouse advertisement juxtaposes masculine and feminine features in
its portrayal of Rosie the Riveter to promote sacrifice for the United States during World
War II.
The advertisements imagery underscores the dichotomy between masculinity and
femininity. Miller depicts Rosie in a blue-collar uniform with hair tied back, sleeves
rolled up, and arms flexed. Rosies glaring eyes and pursed lips render her a formidable
character. By depicting a tough, emasculated woman, the Westinghouse ad is
underscoring the power of American women. The poster is calling upon women to
recognize their strength a feature generally associated with men and use it for the
good of the nation. The success of the ad lays in part in its balancing Rosies masculinity
with soft, feminine features: curled hair peaks out from her bandana, while arched brows,
prominent cheek bones, and full lips render her a beautiful character. Moreover, even the
baggy uniform is not able to conceal Rosies slim waist. The advertisement thus
establishes Rosie as a woman admirable to both men and women. Through its fusion of
beauty and strength, the image of Rosie glorified workingwomen, encouraging

Americans to sacrifice tradition and adopt a new attitude toward the role of women. As a
result, the Westinghouse ad provided the impetus for a social revolution.
The inherent nationalism in the poster reconciles the tension between the
traditional feminine features, presented as God, and the opposing Devil of
masculinity. Its audience, American citizens at the start of World War II, expected women
to embrace their femininity and their traditionally domestic role in society. By presenting
a beautiful woman in rugged, masculine attire, the advertisement aims to discomfit
viewers and upend their values. Miller exploits patriotism to accomplish this objective.
The red-white-and-blue color scheme creates harmony among the masculine and
feminine features. Moreover, the We can do it! word bubble links the success of the
Allied effort in the war to the effort of citizens on the home front. The use of the first
person plural underscores the unity of Americans, dissolving the boundaries between
women and men. Through its incorporation of patriotic elements, the Westinghouse
poster induces viewers to surrender traditional values for the sake of the American civic
good.
World War II provided the ideal kairos for Westinghouse's crusade. This crusade
was focused more on bolstering the American workforce than on empowering women.
Nonetheless, numerous activists have adapted the Rosie campaign over the years to
promote feminist ideals. From Michelle Obama to Beyonce, Rosie has taken on new
faces, calling upon women to recognize their strength. In one adaptation, an artist in
Texas likens Malala Yousafzai, advocate of girls education who was shot by the Taliban,
to Rosie the Riveter in a mural. Flanking the mural are the words of Malala herself: All I
want is education. And Im afraid of no one. Through this portrait, the artist is drawing a

parallel between Malalas courage and the courage of women who worked in factories
during World War II; both Malala and these women challenged the structure of their
male-dominated societies. J Howard Millers image of Rosie the Riveter, along with the
adaptations it has inspired, portrays women as simultaneously powerful and beautiful. As
a result, Rosie has developed a timeless legacy in calling forth the American civic.