Women have made progress entering the workforce over decades, often due to extenuating circumstances. During World War II, women entered factories as men went to war, seen as their patriotic duty. In the 1960s, advances like the birth control pill and the President's Commission on the Status of Women increased women's independence and demands for equality. By the 1970s, feminism grew stronger led by activists, though the wage gap remained, and women still faced discrimination. Into the 2000s, more women than ever worked and graduated college, but challenges with childcare and unequal treatment at home and work persisted.