And then the movie--what a rewarding experience. It is truly remarkable that women played such an important role in the early space program with no fanfare and little recognition--not just women, but black women in a state that still had Jim Crow laws! The film is a fictionalized version based on facts, but I've already ordered the nonfiction book. We left with smiles on our faces, proud of the women who contributed so much to the space program in spite of all the restrictions they faced.
I've always admired smart women, especially in the maths and sciences. Math has always been a stumbling block for me, and women who achieved success in those areas have always had my respect and admiration. I loved the celebration of these women whose work has been so little acknowledged until Margot Lee Shetterly's book, and I hope that the book and movie will be an inspiration for girls to develop an interest in math and science. If you haven't seen Hidden Figures, don't miss it!
Notice the way the women's clothing in the film--even in the late 60's, women wore dresses, skirts, and heels most of the time. Trousers were not an option for most occasions.
Women wearing trousers is a fairly recent phenomenon. Time to mention Jean Cameron, the Scottish postie whose request for a new uniform made it possible for women postal workers to wear trousers on their rounds in 1941.
I've seen the video before, but there is some additional information on Wearing the Trousers.
:) Like many women, my daily life is lived in comfortable pants!
I've heard lots of good things about that film. I hope I will get to see it soon.
ReplyDeleteIt was a pleasure--uncomfortable, but ultimately inspiring! The audience applauded at the conclusion. :)
DeleteMy daughter saw it and called me five minutes after exiting the theatre to tell me how much she liked it. I promised to watch it although I have not read the book yet. It'll be on HBO soon so maybe I'll have time to read their story beforehand.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been in a theatre in years. Some people make it difficult to enjoy movies these days. They even shoot other theater-goers.
Thanks for the review.
I'm still thinking about it and can't wait for the book to arrive to get the whole story. I know that the film was a fictional account, conflating details and facts to make a good movie, but the essentials are there. Women, black women, in the 1960's bucked the norm to make brilliant contributions to science!
DeleteJen, it is my understanding that there are two books. Avoid the one written for the big screen.
DeleteI was the only student to ace a History test in my high school class. Our teacher, Mr. Booker refused to give me a 100. He said a dot over an I was a little too far over, and I'd only partly crossed a T. He said it before the entire class. I was one of three AAs in the class. The others wear all of European descent. Booker said he would never give me a 100.
Being a student in a "prestigious" art school wasn't easy either since I could not explain being able to draw so well. I'd never had lessons. I earned the only A in drawing class for my sketchbook. The instructor announced she'd given only aone. No one in class bothered to ask if I might have been the recipient since I was one of the two AAs there, but the break room buzzed with wonder. No one assumed I was that good. I still laugh about it since I never told, but it hurt too.
I hope you like the book as much as I expect we will. :)
Yes, I wanted more than the screenplay which was a good story; a good story can get me interested, then I want the true story with all of the facts. I am looking forward to finding out more about about the three women highlighted in the movie, but also about the entire program of women "computers!"
DeleteOh my, do I ever remember those days. Nylons, skirts or dresses, heels, and gloves to church!! Yikes - we've come a long way Baby. I remember walking a mile or more to church in my high heels and loved it when I no long had to wear a hat and gloves too! Let's not go into the salaries for doing the same job were much reduced when it came to women as they weren't taken seriously or were supposed to be home cleaning house or had husbands so they didn't need as much money. Growing up I didn't give it much thought - at least until I was in the work world and realized just how much preference and leeway was given to men as opposed to the women. I'm glad I've lived long enough to see all of the advances and the respect that women are finally getting.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget girdles. Why I had to wear one still sticks in my craw every time I remember. I was a late bloomer and resented having to wear those outdated torture drawers designed to keep men from going bonkers because our bottoms moved. Then panty hose were invented. Lord have mercy. They looked better on Joe Namath. I went to church once without panty hose and lied in church about why I hadn't worn a pair.
DeleteI had my hair cut when I was sixteen and my mama was so afraid Daddy would lose it. It was MY hair, right? We have come a long way but I asserted my personal freedom the day I shaved my head. Have done it three times in my life and felt . . . Sexy is not the word I'm looking for so perhaps there isn't one.
I also filed a complaint against a company that paid a male more after I trained him. I was much smarter, so duh. Too bad some women still face the old guard of repression and suppression. It's our own fault though. Withhold sex and see what happens. Watching Planet Earth II proves I'm right. LOL.
Penny--Oh, nylons! How could I forget that social nicety? Good riddance to panty hose.
DeleteLimner--And girdles! Now they call them Spanx? From a word that has a the idea of unpleasant binding to one that carries a sort of sexual connotation. Not sure I see an improvement in name or product! :O
I don't think too many people were aware of the part women played in the space program. I too remember when pants were not an acceptable dress code. When I was young, the temperature had to drop to a certain degree for us to be allowed to wear pants under our dresses to school, but had to take them off in the coat room before school started. And wages...well I am well aware that wage gap still exists. Just before I retired 4 years ago I found that a man was hired in a far less responsible job than I had making more than I did. I handled the situation to my advantage, put in honesty it was a large part of my decision to retire as soon as I could. I hope that women are not forced to take a step..or more...backward in the current political environment.
ReplyDeletexx, Carol
I don't think there was a lot said about any of the workers in the space program at the time. The astronauts were the stars, weren't they? I think wages for women depend largely on the attitude of the employer--and since most companies discourage comparing paychecks, many women never know whether or not they receive equal pay.
DeleteI also spend most of my time is jeans-or leggings (make wonderful pajamas!)
ReplyDeleteAnd I sometimes have pajama days and skip the jeans and leggings all together!
DeleteI bought the book but haven't yet read it, and we haven't seen the movie. Mrs. Katherine Goble Johnson taught math at the black high school in my hometown, Marion, in Virginia while she was married to her first husband, Mr. Goble, a local barber. As for dress codes, I remember having to wear a dress if we went downtown in Marion with my grandmother. At least the days of wearing gloves and a hat downtown had passed. BTW, my hometown was a small Appalachian mountain town, not a fancy metropolis.
ReplyDeleteI knew I had questions right away during the movie, curious about fact and facile fiction. Nevertheless, the film was excellent--I came away feeling uplifted and full of admiration. Strange to think of Katherine moving from high school teacher to an important part of the space program!
DeleteHidden Figures is such an inspirational film. I'll be curious to know what you think of the book when you get to it. I much prefer to wear trousers than skirts--thank goodness for that change!
ReplyDeleteI'm laughing because I prefer long loose skirts to pants. The skirts are liberating, create air flow, and it feels like I'm hardly wearing anything. I have an aunt who thinks pants for women are sinful because her pastors taught her that as a child. I explained how it is harder to rape a woman in Levis yet easier to rape one in a dress or skirt. She'd never considered that, and said she was going mention it the first chance she got. LOL.
DeleteI remember when we walked the woods with my aunt and needed to wee, we squatted so our dresses billowed around us and wee'd without anyone knowing. Working the elastic in panties first was another skill we learned.
Saw the movie and thought it was a wonderful story. I am so mad that we did not have these women as role models. There is also a book called Rocket Girls - it's a similar story about women computers though the women are on the west coast and their racial makeup kind of matches the location. Amazingly intelligent women...all of them in both locations. Had to hide them so the men don't look so stupid!
ReplyDeleteIt was an inspiring story, wasn't it? A shame that they weren't role models earlier, especially since the gap between male and female scores in mathematics has been an educational dilemma forever. Recognizing their contributions, even belatedly, makes them role models now. I have Rocket Girls on my list. :)
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