When flight attendants fought the airline industry and won
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- Опубликовано: 28 июн 2023
- The “stewardess rebellion” fought the industry and won.
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When flight attendants, known as stewardesses at the time, first took flight in the 1930s, the profession became a token of glamor. Unlike other jobs open to women at the time, like teaching or secretarial work, stewardesses had a unique opportunity to travel the world and meet new people thousands of feet in the air. While the position provided exciting opportunities for working women, it also capitalized on the bodies of these women to benefit the airline industry.
For decades, airlines exclusively hired young, single, unmarried, white women and enforced strict policies - like weight and age requirements - to make sure their employees were up to the standard they were selling. Airlines relied on the glamorous reputation of the jet-setting stewardess to sell luxury air travel, and it worked. Along with imposing extreme qualifications for the job, airlines leaned into a “sexy stewardess” stereotype with advertising campaigns and new uniforms, like Southwest Airlines' “hot pants” that painted stewardesses as sex objects.
But in the 1960s and '70s, stewardesses mounted an organized push against their employers' discriminatory labor practices. They became one of the first groups in the US to fight discrimination in the workplace. And they won. Their activism and legal battles, which used Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, became known as the “stewardess rebellion.” It changed the airline industry into what we know today and paved the way for working women nationwide.
Note: The headline on this piece has been updated.
Previous headline: How flight attendants changed the airline industry
Sources:
The book Femininity in Flight by Kathleen Barry played a huge role in researching this story: www.dukeupress.edu/femininity...
So did Nell McShane Wulfhart’s book about the stewardesses' legal fights and unionizing: nellmcshanewulfhart.com/books/
You can read personal accounts from the stewardess rebellion here: archive.org/details/sexobject...
Check out more history and photos from the Association of Professional Flight Attendants:
www.apfa.org/departments/arch...
And learn more about Black flight attendants' history from Black Flight Attendants of America:
www.blackflightattendantsofam...
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Thanks for watching! I wanted to share a fact I learned while reporting this story: we started calling stewardesses “flight attendants” sometime in the 1980s after a Supreme Court decision forced airlines to hire men to the profession. Cabin crews tried calling themselves “stewards and stewardesses” for a while, but ultimately landed on a more gender neutral option: “flight attendants.” - Halley
The change happened in Portuguese as well. The old name was ''aeromoça'' which would be translated literally to something like ''air girl'' (extremely condescending) but nowadays, they go for the neutral ''comissário de bordo'' that literally would be something like ''on board commissioner'' but it's similar to steward/stewardesses but without the negative baggage it had in the English usage.
Mmm this is cool
@@shironerisilkIn Polish we call them "steward" and "stewardess"
Pretty cool
This was one of the better Vox videos I’ve seen since the era of Johnny and Cleo ☺️
I’m proud to call Patricia Banks Edmiston my grandmother. Thank you Vox for recognizing my grandmother’s contributions to American history. My family and I thank you all for your love and beautiful comments ❤️
She's amazing lady
Please make sure to let her know that she’s an example to follow when it comes to do the right thing
With love and respect from Mexico
Awesome
That's absolutely amazing! Please let her know that I admire her greatly. I've been a flight attendant for 8 years now. She's amazing!
She deserves so much more than just a Vox episode but it's a good start ❤ You are descended from an AMAZING human, one in a Billion
Patricia is literally living American history - she should be mentioned in history books!
honestly!!!!
So many more people should be mentioned in history books. Especially since most accomplishments in this country were done by unsung women and POC.
100%
💯
No?
My mom's been a flight attendant for 40 years and she does so much more than just serving meals and beverages. So much first aid stuff and helping tired parents with crying babies. And dealing with difficult passengers too of course. She's amazing!
Knowing first aid and serving food are both taught at middle school: the former as part of the lessons given, the latter in the canteen.
@@astronotics531 Yeah and I'm sure than in middle school you're also taught how to deal with a fire onboard a plane, how to calm hundreds of panicking passengers, and how to evacuate everyone safely in the event of a crash. Oh and what to do in the event of a hijacking or how to restrain a violent passenger. It's not for nothing that flight attendants go through weeks of initial training and have to do recurring training every year.
@@astronotics531 Flight Attendants are required to know medical-level first aid in order to save lives in an emergency.
Even during the sexist requirements era, nurse credentials were essential to any flight attendant's resume. No middle schooler can do that.
@elfarlaur no but those are the standard in any retail shop..
Stewards are not as great as people make them out to be
@@astronotics531let me guess... You're a flight attendant on a rocket so think you're better 🙄
"I didn't care if I got hired or not, but some young black woman was going to fly" powerful!
As an African American flight attendant hired in the 90’s, thank you for highlighting the struggles and achievements of my predecessors. I have shared many jump seats with various women who blazed the trail for me. They generously shared their knowledge and experiences. Including how they were discriminated against by their own peers. I will forever honor these ladies in my heart.
Flight attendants are one of the first people you rely on when a flight goes wrong, they are trained in first aid and whatever else needed to ensure safety
Been flying for 25 years and no flight has ever gone wrong 😂
@@caio5987 well then be grateful that ur flight never gone wrong
BRACE. BRACE. BRACE! [?] Who said that?
@@caio5987surely you’ve seen news stories about stuff going wrong though… or is this some solipsistic bent where only things you personally witness are real?
I still remember the pics of Asiana FA during SFO crash, carried injured pax on her back. Yepp you never wanna mess with them, because they're willing to sacrifice their lives for your safety.
I was hired in 1968 as a stewardess for Northwest Orient Airlines. At that time, only men were allowed to become Pursers, i.e. the Lead in the cabin on International Flts. Besides the better trips they held, Pursers made substantially more money, had single rooms (stewardess' had to share rooms), did not have weight or hair requirements, could wear eyeglasses, were allowed to marry, and other benefits not afforded stewardess'. In the late 60's and early 70's Mary Pat Laffey-Inman challenged this with a. class action lawsuit which went all the way to the Supreme Court under Title VII, Workplace and Equal Pay Equality of the Civil Rights Act. The lawsuit took years to settle, but in the 80's she and her fellow co-workers won. Not only was this a victory for females of Northwest, but it changed the dynamics of the U.S. airline industry across the board.
Wow.
I can't believe I can still be surprised & horrified by learning about yet anther instance of sexist discrimination.
Wow.
I'm glad they won, but deeply angry that this battle had to be fought in the first place
It's a shame the sexualisation of flight attendants still exists subconsciously in the minds of far too many passengers. I'm a male flight attendant and the way that some male passengers act toward my female co-workers is disgusting.
It's also kind of funny and pathetic how when they're being dicks to the women I work with, they shut up the moment I show up. I'm the furthest thing from a threatening looking man but just the fact that I'm a man makes them slump down into their seats.
You’re a glorified waiter, calm down.
@@rhaegartargaryen9315some other commentators said that fight attendants also get trained in first aid. Hope you don't have a heart attack on an airplane if that's what you think about them.
@@rhaegartargaryen9315they're glorified waiters so they should be sexualized and harassed? Is that your logic here?
@@rhaegartargaryen9315 Their job is to keep passengers safe. Serving food is to stop passengers becoming ill from not eating and any other hospitality service is doing you a favor.
@@rhaegartargaryen9315woahhh so edgy. Does your mom know you're on the computer again?
My mom was one of the first flight attendants back in the day in her country, who fought for the right to continue flying past the age of 40. She loved her job a lot and still enjoys seeing others in uniform.
is she still a flight attendant today
She’s retired now. Worked until the age of 61.
@@dhaljit oh ok
This is why I love Vox, they can give us complex history from simple things that we often overlook and take for granted.
History can often be understook by looking at the "normal" aspects of society, instead of the extraordinary aspects.
Fun fact the National Airlines "Fly Me" campaign was created by Dick Wolf, the executive producer and creator of Law and Order
sounds like the type of Misogynistic guy that woulde def do this
edit: *Misogynistic
@@sunbeam7921Masochistic? He enjoyed being in pain?
According to whom?
In one of the landmark cases involving discrimination of flight attendants by airlines, the US Supreme Court looked at the duties of a flight attendant and determined that the essential task of a flight attendant was to get passengers safely from one point to another. All the other tasks, like serving food and drink, and being a selling point for customers, were all secondary to the essential task of getting passengers safely from one point to another. This knocked out most of the airlines' justification for discriminatory hiring policies.
Friendly reminder that 60 years ago was more or less only 2-3 generations ago, so we’re not that far removed from these movements. The fight for equality continues.
Yep. My mom, in her 50s, was considered too tall to be a flight attendant. She’s maybe 5’6-7😢
Even more recently, in 1981 Renee Rogers, a ticket agent for American Airlines, unsuccessfully sued bc she was fired for wearing her hair in cornrows. Judge Abraham D. Sofaer rejected her argument that the style evoked her African heritage, saying that she had adopted the style shortly after by Bo Derek popularized it in the movie ''10.' That's right, a federal judge gave a white woman credit for inventing cornrows. In 1981. This is why we call out the Kardashians and Jenners and whoever else for appropriation, because WE SUFFER while THEY PROSPER.
@@orangeradishneodamn, I’m 5'7
What a trail blazer Ms. Patricia N. Banks is. A true living legend for both civil & Womans rights. Wow!
The story of Patricia is a great example of how racism is not this long gone concept only an ancient America would even think of. I love stories like these because they really help me explain how it's wrong to think that racism ended when MLK gave a speech or when the civil rights act passed.
I'm 5' and fresh air, but I weigh more than 118 pounds. That's very slim indeed. I understand attendants must be fit and healthy, if they can't fit down the aisle they can't do their job, but this is beyond ridiculous.
My mom was a flight attendant, and now I am one. Thank you, Patricia.
I flew for AA from 1977-1996. A lot changed from then to my retirement. In 1977, we saw returning mothers to the ranks, and although they lowered my seniority, I applauded their perseverance to right a wrongful requirement. Weight check was also under review and was eventually trashed. Although the public only saw our outward appearance, safety was our primary function on board, requiring EPTs ( Emergency Procedures Training) every year.
Flight attendants have come along way. They're always an essential to have on every flight. Their job isn't that easy begin to with. Their trainings are extensive.
I’m so happy to see a video about this! There have been several strikes and movements for change around flight attendants, their uniforms, the marriage and age cut offs, and pay, but this was the bellweather movement. Great piece!
Just a couple years ago, the flight attendants union had a big role in striking during height of the pandemic!
That "go fly yourself" poster is genius.
Fun Fact, a lot og the criterias are still applied in a lot of international airlines, the requirements for age, physique, perfect mental and phisical health and so on…
This. As someone planning to be a flight attendant the mentioned requirements is still very much the same in our country except maybe being unmarried is the one I never heard of. But yup straight teeth, no glasses, ideal weight, tall, clear skin, etc is still very much the requirements here, it's really sad that I know alot of friends who wants to be a flight attendant but can't because their too short is one of the main reason which you can not do anything about
Lufthansa still applies the "no visible tattoos" rule which is also a joke because what does a tattoo have to do with being qualified for the job as flight attendant?
"perfect mental and physical health" - isn't that a good thing? Flight attendants have to be able to coordinate evacuation in emergencies.
@@alissad.8793Nearly every airline has the no visible tattoos rule. Why? Because most passengers want someone who looks professional and tattoos are the exact opposite of professionalism.
@@OriginalGrasshopper tattoos are *(percieved to be) the exact opposite of professionalism. IMO professionalism is how well you can apply the skills you have to successfully complete your job assignments, and tattoos have nothing to do with the quality of the work which a flight attendant does on board the plane.
What a great documentary! Thanks to the brave flight attendants that stood up for their rights and made it better for future generations.
RIP to all the flight attendants who have lost their lives in air crash accidents ❤❤
Patricia is an American hero, I hope we remember and honor her throughout the rest of her life and beyond as such
My aunt was a stewardess she worked at the ticket and bagging parts. I have an imense respect for her because she gave up her job for her family and is back at the job.
When the law firm I worked at started messing with our hours, pay, benefits, staffing and working conditions post-2008, the person who kicked off the unionization drive was a former flight attendant. She initially wanted us to go with the Teamsters because that had been her union and she felt they'd done right by her. Our little crew met with them & a couple other unions' organizers, all of them giving us basically the same course of action to take, before it was clear that all other things being equal, OPEIU was the natural fit for our sector.
Unfortunately, it didn't get very far; whenever I'd listen to a fellow worker grumble about the situation, I'd suggest that if they want to do something about it, there's a meeting... and they'd instantly say "I'm too busy, it sounds great, let me know how it goes..." and when I'd tell them that without people actually showing up, it'll go nowhere, they're just r/whoosh. So it went nowhere.
Please consider making this a series and talking about the issues flight attendants still face regarding pay- as they are not under minimum wage laws. A flight attendant could work up to 16 hours in a day and only get paid for their guarantee (typically 4 hours).
This gives me more appreciation for the flight attendants and the services they provide 💯❤️
Thank you for sharing this important history lesson, Halley. As a former flight attendant for six years (1996 - 2002), I have deep admiration and gratitude for Patricia Banks, who fought for all flight attendants' civil and human rights. As a Black woman, I know how difficult it can be to file a discrimination case against a major airline, and her victory is genuinely inspiring. Ms. Banks' triumph was a significant milestone that paved the way for all women in the professional world. Thank you, Patricia Banks Emiston! You are amazing
Always ready to know more about things I don't usually care about !
Vox never fails to disappoint. Truly one of internets best and most informative channels. Keep up the good work and as a audience member please let us know how we can help support the channel in any way possible!
You might wanna edit your first sentence.
@@kingace6186 snob
@spyrosspyrides8918 - Kingace6186 is not being a snob.
That first sentence is 180° opposite of what you're trying to say.
@@lynneanderson4255 Aha apologies @kingace6186 I finally see what the issue was smh. I thought it was about the spell check he was referring to. Well I feel a right fool looool
@@spyrosspyrides8918 - I can't speak for kingace61868, but I'm willing to forgive your error because you're willing to admit to it.
Unfortunately, that doesn't happen as often as it should.
Kudos to you!
Patricia is an absolute champion.
3:46 Wow! She’s fabulous. We need a feature length documentary on her.
Thank you for this fantastic video! My mom was in Human Resources for an airline for a few decades, and has talked with me about her role enforcing sexist standards among stewardesses
Patricia Banks broke a color barrier and barely anyone knows who she is
I had no idea this happened, but I'm thankful to learn about it.
👏🏽 👏🏽 these women fought the fight and paved the way for us today!
This video was really different from many of its genres. It didn't just make me sad - it made me empowered. Make more like this!
There is one more element they didn't touch on and that is that the flight attendents union is still going strong today. Ever since Reagan ushered in the era of union busting almost all unions have either collapsed or shrunken significantly. The flight attendents union is one of the few that has managed to stay strong through 40 years of attempted union busting.
The union again proved it's value in 2019-2021 protecting it's member's from Covid. There is a reason there was almost no talk about the suffering flight attendents experienced during Covid and that is they fared way better due to having a strong union to protect them.
Miss Patricia Banks you are a shero. Thank you so much. You are an excellent example of strength and fearlessness that so many people can learn from today. Black woman magic at its finest.
Flight attendants remain unsung heroes in my opinion. They make all the difference in one’s flight experience, so many times going above and beyond for passengers. I always thank them for “taking care of us” when exiting the plane. Remember to thank these important industry professionals and treat them with kindness and respect.
In the early 80s my female colleagues in the IT-department of a UK bank were still contractually obliged to ask their manager's permission to marry (although this was never denied as far as I know).
That is terrible. And it is not so far in the past.
In Germany, the husband used to have the legal right to terminate the employment of his wife.
They fought a good fight and won.
The marriage ban existed in nearly all occupations that permitted females, and in nearly all western nations. It would be interesting if Vox did a video on the history & evolution of this ban.
Thank you so much for sharing this story! It's so easy for so many people to forget that the people who fought for the things we have today are not ancient people long dead. They're our parents and grandparents, still here to share their stories.
There are no words to thank or repay these women!
Thank you for making world a better place for us all!
Thank you!
Sadly it’s still persistent in *some* airlines and on top of that, workplace bullying, harassment and what not ices the cake
This was such a cool episode, thank you!
Wow! Thank you for this excellent doc! Learned tons! The women featured (and their colleagues) truly were pioneers!
Excellent video. Makes me wonder what we are doing today, and possibly taking for granted, that in 50 years we'll look back upon with disgust.
Absolutely wonderful work! It brought me so much joy and gratitude for all the work these women did.
Thank you.
My mama tried to become a flight attendant in the early 90s, and at 5-foot 7-inches with a wide build, she starved herself to get down to 145lbs before her doctor told her to stop. She still had 10lbs to go to get to the airline standard.
I know she will never see this. Thank you Patricia for making my flight career possible!
Amazing video. Need more of these. Ppl forget that a lot of the civil rights women have today were inspired by black ppl fighting for equality.
It’s always nice to see a missing chapter episode with a happy ending
algorithmic punch!
Great effort in presenting the history, it was a really neat aspect of history to have a laid out, and the personal aspect of the interviews was really valuable.
really admire patricia's dedication!!! a living legend
If you are a flight attendant THANK YOUUUU! ❤
Thanks Vox
And thanks sm to all those brave, amazing stewardesses 👩🏾✈️🙏🏾❤️
Loved this video. Thank you for making it 🥰
„Go fly yourself“ that‘s witty and bold. I like that.
my grandmother was a stewardess for panem and they weighed and measured her and she ended up having to lie about wearing contacts since they forbid both glasses and contacts at the time
This was truly an inspiring narrative of this historical event! Thanks @Vox for sharing this!
Great video on a topic I had never really thought about; I really appreciate the honest reporting about unfortunately still current topics like this one!
Please keep doing these great works, Vox. Thanks!
What a great video! Thanks for sharing so much valuable information with us! ✈
Well, Singapore Airlines still does the "stereotype" standards, without the racism part.
I was a "stewardess" in the 1960's for Western Airlines. I had my own pilots license and was trained by the same pilots who flew our planes but I could not be an airline pilot. My best friend got fired in the mid '60's for being secretly married and having a son. (One of our pilots turned her in.) My friend fought back and was rehired and flew 35 more years and we still talk on the phone every week. She is 84 and I'm 80. We really never felt we were living history at the time but certainly see it differently now!
Thank you so much for sharing this story!
Thank you for your wonderful reporting.
This is fantastic work! You're really gifting the future with this living history!!!
Even in Germany, aviation still has an exception in law to select people based on looks and race. This has to be removed.
so we should do the sane in the army or a men's club ?
This reporting was really amazing.
Such a powerful story! I always feel thankful and touched when I learn about what other women did to fight for our rights and respect 💜
Every time I scroll past a Vox video I pause and think yeah, I want to know more about that. Never change Vox
Expertly produced. Well done!
such an amazing content! good job vox and to all the team involved
An awesome story! Thank you for this informative - times have certainly changed...
Patricia is such a strong woman
I'm a proud Flight Attendant ❤
I love this documentary! MORE PLS!
Loved learning all of this great information! ❤
Great video! Such disgusting hiring practices, which wouldn't have changed were it not for tireless, courageous work by activists and labor unions. We should be grateful to them for the more civilized world we live in, and stand with those today who continue their fight.
Thank you Patricia!! I'm a flight attendant
Thanks for this amazing story.
I love your work, thanks for your awesome videos 🤗
Great work with this video. Thanks!
Labour union is so important not just for worker's rights, but also for equal rights of all.
Thanks, Vox!
Patricia Banks 🙌🏽
Excellent work. Thx !
"Flight attendants are the unsung heroes of aviation"
This is still how other international (especially in Asia) airliners are hiring flight attendants today
Thank you for featuring the videos' producers at the ends of these videos to encourage more diversity.
what a great episode!
Truly inspiring !
I absolutely loved 🥰 this documentary story xxx bravo
great video, insightful
Great Series @Vox Keep It Up!