I’ve at all times been a fan of breaking glass ceilings, whether or not primarily based on ethnicity or gender. I feel it began as a result of I used to be raised by a single mother. She struggled to make ends meet working as a secretary, however gave us a great life. Again then it was very onerous for a lady to rise previous secretary. However by the late Nineteen Seventies extra alternatives had been turning into out there, and on the age of 47 Mother broke by means of the glass ceiling and have become supervisor of the customer support division at Hunt Wesson, a place at which she carried out beautifully.
So I very a lot loved studying Higher Sooner Farther: How Working Modified All the pieces We Know About Girls, by Maggie Mertens
This ebook chronicles the historical past of ladies’s operating, and societies notion of how “fragile” girl are basically. This was a notion that appeared to begin as quickly as there have been higher class girls who didn’t should do handbook labor. There was the widespread perception, together with within the medical occupation, that they, and their reproductive programs, had been delicate they usually shouldn’t pressure themselves an excessive amount of. The creator gave some astonishing examples of this, like stairways with half-height stairs being put in in faculties for ladies in order that they wouldn’t pressure themselves going upstairs. I at all times questioned how the instance of working class girls was ignored, together with the servants of the higher class. These girl did fairly strenuous work and their reproductive programs didn’t appear to get harmed. Maggie defined this for instance of racism mixed with sexism: working-class girl had been regarded as of “decrease breeding” in order that they had been nearer to their “animal nature”, making them extra strong. I’m glad we now dwell in additional enlightened occasions!
One of many basic examples of how this “fragility” notion affected girls is the 1920 Olympics. It was reported broadly that a number of girl collapsed on the end of the 800 meter run. Primarily based on that it was assumed they’d overexerted. For many years girls weren’t allowed to run greater than 200 meters within the Olympics. Maggie defined how the proof for the collapse on the end was truly fairly doubtful.
One other apparent instance is that of Kathrine Switzer, the primary official feminine finisher of the Boston Marathon. She was advised by varied medical doctors that her uterus would fall out if she continued with such lengthy distance operating. I keep in mind having fun with seeing her being interviewed 50 years later and reporting her uterus was nonetheless intact!
Maggie goes over these and plenty of different in masking the fascinating historical past of ladies and operating on this extremely advisable ebook.
One other Ceiling to Breaok?
I usually keep away from masking politics on this discussion board, however I’m excited concerning the risk that we will break one other glass ceiling on Nov 5 by electing the primary girl president of the US. I like her forward-looking insurance policies. Folks could be reluctant to vote democrat as a result of the standard considering is that the financial system fares higher beneath republicans. However within the analyses I’ve seen, economists endorse Kamala’s financial proposals in comparison with these of her rival.
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