Reaction Thoughts To “Makers” Documentary
Abstract
“Reaction” and “Thought” as defined by Merriam-Webster: “Reaction: the way someone acts or feels in response to something that happens, is said, etc. and “Thought” is defined as: the art of carefully thinking about something (Merriam-Webster). Watching the “Makers” Documentary, Part I, II and III I can actually recall some of these periods in the movement as I actually lived through the time period. Women have been working for equality since the 1800’s and have advanced the front lines ever since. The obstacles, the unfairness with pay, the multi-tasking and the super woman mentality are all things that have prompted me to put some thought into those issue and react to on the journey of women.
Reaction Thoughts to “Makers” Documentary
Women who make America came from all across the nation and joined together to create an explosion into a male dominated world. These women who lead and those women who are yet to come to continue to lead for women want only to be taken seriously as equals in the workplace, politics and home. Women want more than the old stereotype that they were expected to be married in their 20’s, start a family and be a “happy homemaker”. Women want the choice to determine for themselves how they defined themselves and not let men or society determines that for them. Women have to overcome the obstacles that have and are still holding them back, the unfairness in pay scales, the multi-tasking to get it all done and overcoming the superwoman mentality.
Overcoming Obstacles
The Betty Crocker period as expressed by Carol Burnett in Part One: Awakening was an era and obstacle that hindered women. The Era when you had to get married and you had to have children (Makers: Part I). Women were expected to get married, start a family and devote their lives to being a homemaker and were expected to be happy with that lifestyle. For some women this is a career path that they truly wanted, but for others they want the opportunity to have more, to be more to explore the corporate world. Women wanted to have their own voice and to have that voice be heard and respected.
The Boston Marathon for 70 years had excluded women. It was a male dominated running event and a women couldn’t do this because running that far would cause a women to get big, legs, grow a mustache, grow hair on your chest or that your uterus was going to fall out; seriously what kind of thinking is that. (Maker: Part I) Katherine Switzer wanted to run in this event so she entered as K. Switzer so as not to give indication that she was female. After trying to be forced out of the race by the race manager Jock Simple, Katherine said she was finishing the race because if she didn’t it everyone would believe that women couldn’t do it. I believe that Katherine was wise to what Oprah would state later that: “Nobody listens to you when you go quietly into the night” (Makers, Part III). For Kathryn to finish the race that day sent her voice for people hear loud and clear that women can do this and much more.
Unfairness in Pay
1980 had arrived and the Women’s Movement was still going on but the direction was changing. Women were entering into the board rooms, out space, television, politics and construction. There era of Geraldine Ferraro, Hilary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey and others who were entering the positions of all formerly male held positions. The dress attire for women was similar to men with pin stripes suits, white shirts and ties but offered still a feminine appearance. Oprah Winfrey was hired to co-anchor on the Boston television show People Are Talking and doing the exact same job has her male co-anchor but yet getting paid twenty eight thousand less. Oprah met with her boss and said to him that her co-worker is getting the paid a lot more money and we are doing the exact same job. His response was why should you make that much money? He