Do you know that flight attendants ever fought the airline industry?

In 1971, National Airlines launched an advertisement campaign featuring real flight attendants and the slogan "Fly me." The campaign, which initially focused on promoting flights throughout Florida, soon expanded to include flight attendants Jo, Denise, and Laura. Unfortunately, the airline's approach commodified and objectified the stewardesses, presenting them as mere sex objects to entice passengers.

With the Fly Me campaign, National Airlines experienced a significant 19% increase in ticket sales within months. This success prompted other airlines to adopt similar strategies. Sadly, this was just one example of how the airline industry degraded flight attendants and subjected them to discrimination over many decades.

However, flight attendants eventually united and pushed back against these unfair practices. It was truly awe-inspiring to witness a room full of determined flight attendants standing up and proclaiming, "Enough is enough." I personally refused to passively accept this mistreatment and decided to take action.

Flight attendants played a pivotal role in reshaping the airline industry and were among the first groups in the United States to combat workplace discrimination. Their resilience and determination paved the way for improved conditions for working women across the country. Unfortunately, their contributions remain largely unknown to the general public, despite the significant impact they made.

During the 1950s and 1960s, being a flight attendant, then known as a stewardess, was considered one of the most desirable jobs for women. For young women with limited employment options such as teaching, nursing, or secretarial work, the opportunity to jet-set across the country and engage with individuals like Don Draper was undeniably appealing.

Airlines capitalized on this allure, selling an image of elite and glamorous air travel, relying on stewardesses to embody and convey this message. Strict hiring practices were implemented to ensure that stewardesses matched the standards advertised to passengers. Candidates had to meet various criteria, such as being healthy, single, aged between 21 and 28, standing between 5'2" and 5'6" in height, and maintaining a specific weight. Additional requirements included having straight teeth, clear skin, and good vision without glasses. Furthermore, being extremely slim was expected, with some applicants even subjected to invasive measurements during interviews.

Paula Mariedaughter, who served as a stewardess and model for TWA, shares that such treatment was the norm for young women in the industry. The hiring process aimed to create an exclusive atmosphere. Advertisements for Eastern Airlines even highlighted rejected candidates, emphasizing the rigorous selection process that eliminated around 19 girls before finding one who met the qualifications. Marriage was strictly prohibited, and female employees were often forced to retire at an alarmingly young age, sometimes as early as 27, to maintain a youthful workforce.

While many of these hiring restrictions were explicitly outlined, one requirement remained unwritten yet consistently enforced: stewardesses had to be white. The industry did not want individuals like Patricia Banks, a trailblazing black woman who became the first black flight attendant on a commercial aircraft in 1960. Patricia's journey to break down these discriminatory standards began when she came across an advertisement for the Grace Downs Air Career School, sparking her interest and determination to pursue this path.

The fight against these discriminatory practices started with courageous women like Patricia Banks, marking the beginning of a larger movement to challenge the industry's standards. Their efforts paved the way for greater inclusivity and equality within the airline industry. I had always found the idea of traveling the world and experiencing different places intriguing. When I was accepted into Grace Downs Air Career School, I was thrilled. However, being the only black student at the school, my journey was not without its challenges. Upon completing the program in 1956, I interviewed with TWA, Mohawk, and Capital Airlines (later merged with United) for a stewardess position. Unfortunately, I never received any responses, while others seemed to be getting offers.

It was disheartening, and I couldn't help but wonder what was wrong. Then, one day, a chief stewardess from the school approached me and candidly stated, "Pat, I hate to see you go through this, but the airlines do not hire Negroes." These words struck me, and I knew I had to take action.

I filed a case with the New York State Commission Against Discrimination, seeking to investigate Capital Airlines for their discriminatory hiring practices. Throughout the process, I faced threats of rape and murder, involving the police at certain times. It was far from easy, but I believed it was something I had to do.

Eventually, in 1960, the commission ruled in my favor, determining that Capital Airlines had indeed discriminated against me based on my race. They ordered the airline to reverse their policy and hire me as a flight hostess. With this victory, I became one of the first black commercial flight attendants.

Breaking this barrier meant a lot to me. It wasn't just about personal success; it was about creating opportunities for others. I wanted to pave the way for young black women to soar through the skies. My case marked the beginning of change.

A few years later, in 1964, the Civil Rights Act became federal law, prohibiting employment discrimination based on race and sex under Title VII. This monumental legislation opened doors for black women to challenge racism in the industry. One by one, they fought for their right to fly.

By 1965, there were 50 black stewardesses working at seven of the largest US carriers. The impact of Title VII went beyond race; it became a tool for stewardesses to challenge sexist policies as well. These trailblazing women recognized the potential of this legislation in fighting against sex discrimination in the workplace.

Stewardesses wasted no time in using Title VII to challenge airlines directly. Within the first 18 months of its enactment, they filed over 100 employment discrimination cases, using the resulting rulings to fight for their rights with the support of their union.

Betty Green Bateman, for example, launched a challenge in 1965 after being fired by Braniff Airlines upon discovering her secret marriage of over a year. After months of battling the airline, she eventually secured her job and set the stage for further victories.

The Bateman case marked the start of a chain reaction, with the marriage rules within the industry being challenged one after another. The stewardess rebellion was in full swing, utilizing the power of Title VII to dismantle discriminatory practices and advocate for equal treatment in the workplace.

The legal battles waged by stewardesses forced several airlines to overturn their discriminatory marriage rules. However, the airlines, facing economic challenges, decided to capitalize on the sexy stewardess stereotype. They launched new ad campaigns and introduced uniforms that contradicted the fight for equality. One campaign by Braniff Airlines, called "The Airstrip," featured flight attendants shedding their clothes during in-flight service. These actions implied that stewardesses were readily available in various ways, which was unacceptable.

But amidst the Women's Liberation Movement, pressure and encouragement grew among the women in the industry to stand up against these injustices. Stewardesses formed some of the earliest independent, women-led unions in U.S. history. They established groups like Stewardesses for Women's Rights and tackled issues such as age restrictions, marriage policies, uniforms, and weight limits.

While the mainstream movement primarily focused on white women, black stewardesses also fought against racist appearance standards in the industry. For instance, a United stewardess who was fired for wearing her hair in an Afro successfully sued the airline, forcing them to apply regulations equally regardless of race.

Many other discriminatory policies took decades to overturn, including regulations that grounded attendants during pregnancy and weight restrictions. It took a 17-year legal battle against American Airlines to finally undo one weight restriction policy.

As restrictions changed, the composition of the industry shifted. Older, married, and black stewardesses increasingly joined the profession. These legal fights transformed the airline industry and, collectively, impacted the future of women's labor in the United States. The rights these women won have become case law in sex discrimination and have been applied in gender and LGBTQ discrimination cases.

The stewardess cases laid the foundation for lasting change and still have an impact today. The efforts made in the 1960s and 1970s by these brave women seeking a better reality for themselves cannot be undone. The history of what transpired during that time was often silenced, but it marked a crucial beginning.

Thank you for watching this episode of Missing Chapter. The extensive research and reporting that went into this episode revealed that, during the era of widespread no-marriage policies, up to 30% of stewardesses were secretly married—an additional way they challenged workplace sex discrimination.

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