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by Elaine Rock (Author)
If you are a woman or a man ...
If you are concerned about the impact of politics on women ...
Dusty Roads will be a wake-up call for you.
Meet Dusty Roads, one of the few brave voices way out in the wilderness, where women worked in the world of the 1950s and 60s, when it was mandatory for stewardesses to:
- Wear girdles and submit to flick checks to ensure they did.
- Maintain weight standards that would be shocking and unrealistic today.
- Be willing to be paid less than men in the same job.
Phrases like sex discrimination and women's rights hadn't yet entered the nation's vocabulary.
The captivating story of Barbara "Dusty" Roads sets the stage for an eye-opening read as Dusty begins her fight against American Airlines' employment policies, including firing stewardesses if they married or reached the age of 32. Airline leadership believed stewardesses had to be perpetually young, single, and attractive to entice traveling businessmen to buy tickets. Other airlines followed American's lead.
Incensed, Dusty vowed to change the policies they were forced to work under. As the most influential voice in her union and one of the first female lobbyists in Washington, DC, Dusty quickly learned she was fighting for all women and against national gender discrimination. Then, in 1965, she filed the first-ever U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission discrimination complaint on behalf of a colleague who was about to be fired at age 32. Her actions not only helped overturn unfair airline industry policies but also paved the way for workplace equality for men and women nationwide.
"I should be thanking you for everything you've done. You're the one who started it all!"
-Gloria Steinem
Author Elaine Rock drew on extensive interviews with Dusty Roads to bring her inspiring persistence alive for readers. Elaine is a former history teacher, technology executive, and women's rights advocate. She writes about little-known but heroic women and men whose perseverance and resilience helped shape history, making them trailblazers. To view the color print versions of photographs and other bonus materials from her book on her website, please go to the link on the "Contact" page at ElaineRock.com.
