The Great Stewardess Rebellion: How Women Launched a Workplace Revolution at 30,000 Feet

ISBN: 059308229X

Author: McShane Wulfhart, Nell

Condition: New

"The true story of women who stood up to huge corporations and won, creating momentous change for all working women. --Gloria Steinem, co-founder of Ms. magazineAs flying boomed in the 1960s, women from across America applied for jobs as stewardesses. They were drawn to the promise of glamour, the chance to travel, and an alternative to traditional occupations like homemaking, nursing, and teaching.But as the number of stews grew, so did their suspicion that the job was not as picture-perfect as the ads would have them believe. Sky girls had to adhere to strict weight limits at all times; gain a few extra pounds and theyd be suspended from work. They couldnt marry or have children; their makeup, hair, and teeth had to be just so. Girdles were mandatory on the clock. And, most important, stewardesses had to resign at 32.Eventually the stewardesses began to push back and its thanks in part to their trailblazing efforts that working women have gotten closer to workplace equality today. Nell McShane Wulfhart crafts a rousing narrative of female empowerment, the paradigm-shifting 60s and 70s, the labor movement, and the cadre of gutsy women who fought for their rights-and won.