Because white men were afraid of losing out to female competition, there were strings attached to aid programs or other regulations that prevented women from getting or retaining employment.
This was fairly widespread, for example pre-Great Depression 9 states had restrictions on employment of married women, after 26 states had them.
“In the 1930s, 77 percent of school districts in the nation had a policy against hiring married women as teachers, and 50 percent had a policy of firing women teachers once they got married.”
In 1932, federal economic recovery efforts required that if both husband and wife held a government job, one would have to leave or be fired. We can guess which spouse in this equation was usually out of a job. Before the Great Depression, only nine states had laws on the books restricting the employment of married women. By 1940, twenty-six states did. 10 The argument against married women working was both economic and moral. One 1935 Wisconsin resolution against the employment of married women stated, “The large number of husbands and wives working for the state raises a serious moral question, as this committee feels that the practice of birth control is encouraged, and the selfishness that arises from the income of employment of husband and wife bids fair to break down civilization and a healthy atmosphere.” 11 In the 1930s, 77 percent of school districts in the nation had a policy against hiring married women as teachers, and 50 percent had a policy of firing women teachers once they got married. 12 — Mediocre, pg 142