Nursing as a profession has faced many barriers over the centuries. One of the most defining barriers discussed regarding the historical experience of nursing is the effects of it being considered, and for the most part, work done by women. In evaluating nursing history it is therefore necessary to evaluate the ways in which society has evolved over time in terms of its view of the role of female nurses within society and its institutions. In the United States, the emergence of nursing as both an occupation and later a profession has strong ties to the challenge of women's perceived role as wives and mothers whose sphere was exclusively domestic. From that point on significant progress has been made in what women and nurses are able to do within society. However, the interaction between nursing and feminist movements, parallel to its development as a profession, was far from mutually respectful and supportive. Indeed, despite the influence of prominent nursing leaders as supporters of women's suffrage, nurses were indifferent to or actively avoided involvement in women's rights. Meanwhile feminism, in its later endeavors, developed a poor perception of nursing due to its entrenched status as a stereotypical female occupation. The relationship between nursing and feminism, being so close and yet remarkably antagonistic in many ways, has had profound effects on the profession and its modern challenges. When nursing first earned its name, it was not common to see anyone, never mind a woman, working as a nurse. In this regard, the participation of women volunteers in the American Civil War was a first for both women and nurses. The participation of volunteers in... half of the document... Italy is not a Coney Island dance hall: American nurses, hostile work environment and military rank during the First World War. Frontiers vol 26, no2Lasster, F., (1999) A nursing political and hereditary activity at the turn of the century. AORN diary. November 1999, vol 70, n. 5Magnussen L. (1998). Women's Choices: A Historical Perspective of Nursing as a Career Choice. Journal of Professional Nursing, Vol 14, No 3 (May-June), 1998: pp 175-183. WB Saunders CompanySullivan, E.J., 2002. Nursing and feminism: an uneasy alliance. Journal of Professional Nursing, Vol 18, No 4 (July-August), 2002: pp 183-184. 2002, Elsevier Science. doi:10.1053/jpnu.2002.127974Turow J., 2012. Nurses and doctors in prime time series: the dynamics of the representation of professional power. Nurs Outlook 60 (2012) S4-S11. Elsevier. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2012.06.006