Gender issues in the American Civil War

During the American Civil War, sexual behavior, gender roles, and attitudes were affected by the conflict, especially by the absence of menfolk at home and the emergence of new roles for women such as nursing. Clothing adapted to these new roles, becoming more practical and functional as women took on additional responsibilities. The advent of photography and easier media distribution, for example, allowed for greater access to sexual material for the common soldier, while the changes in women's clothing reflected broader societal adjustments to the war's demands.