Like almost a thousand other attendees at the 2009 AAUW National Convention held this past weekend in St. Louis, I watched the video Did You Know? as part of the opening Breaking through Barriers plenary. Take a second and watch it if you haven’t already; it gives a powerful portrayal of technology’s impact on the global society in the recent past. It’s astounding.
It did make me pause, however, and wish that all our efforts (and millions of others’) on behalf of equity for women and girls had moved as fast as technology’s impact on other areas. During her speech at convention, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) told us that, as of April 2009, “1 million women head of households couldn’t find a job, a group that is at a 10 percent unemployment rate. And the burden is even larger when women earn only 78 cents to the dollar a man makes.” The Paycheck Fairness Act is still waiting to be passed — and may not be if we don’t urge the Senate to pass it.
The journalist Mary Lou Forbes, who won a Pulitzer Prize for her coverage of Virginia school desegregation in 1959, passed away on June 27. Her obituary included her description of getting a job at the Washington Star newspaper. She said she thrived in the news room “as long as editors did not think she was married or planning to have children.” In the late 1950s, she became one of the paper’s first female editors. When she was hired, she recalled, the newsroom’s top executive asked her, “Do you think that men will take orders from you?”
Yes, I realize this was back in the 1950s, but just last week the daughter of a friend of mine heard a rumor that she hadn’t been promoted because her employer “figured ‘this newlywed’ would be getting pregnant and going on maternity leave soon anyway.” I immediately sent her links to our AAUW resources, including our legal referral network and a recent LAF Update that focuses on a study entitled “Women Still Face Pregnancy Discrimination.”
So while we are amazed at the speed of change shown in the Did You Know? video, we must also recognize that some things, such as equality, are not changing at the speed they should be. This is where you and I and anyone interested in equal opportunity must still keep pressing forward. I know — let’s use that technology! It certainly got our current president elected; maybe it will speed the pace of change for issues that have dragged on long enough.
20tauri: I agree, the use of technology is of great help in getting the word out about women’s issues. Social media in particular is helping to make tremendous inroads (Facebook, Twitter, blog posts as examples). I guess my patience level is outpacing the actual changes (vs. getting the word out), sigh. But I am very thankful for technology and what it brings to the visibility & action tables!
Jackie: thanks for your story – yes I’m afraid I agree with you that employment discrimination is still in the minds of some…
Mary Lou Forbes’ story reminded me of my job interview with the editor of a small town Texas paper back in the early 60’s. Coming off an internship at the El Paso Times and working on the Boeing Company house organ, I was confident I would be hired. The editor congratulated me on my “clippings” and background, but finally admitted he wouldn’t hire me. “I just don’t want another woman on the staff,” he said. They may not say it these days, but there are a lot of employers still thinking it and acting on it!
Is anyone working to address the lyrics in the song “Don’t Trust Me” by the band 3OH3? This song is widely distributed, the lyrics are offensive and insulting. Helen Keller is mentioned in the refrain. She is reportedly the first deafblind person to earn a college degree. She graduated from Radcliffe in 1904. Please note if anyone is working publicly to address these lyrics.
Great post. I hadn’t seen that video before, but it’s definitely a wake-up call in a lot of respects! But to your point, I certainly know that we all still need to work our butts off to ensure that women achieve real equality, but I’d argue that we can’t overlook that these rapid advances in technology are certainly helping to make that happen. I mean, before the Internet came about, one single person would have had a lot less success in tracking down and getting in touch with women (and men) who are interested in promoting true gender equality. By continuing to do what you’re doing–i.e. spreading information digitally and recruiting others to become evangelists for the cause–you and other women’s interest groups are helping to achieve that goal.