[EDEQUITY Discussion]Opening Statement for Career Education

From: Barbara J Tavares (btavares@hawaii.edu)
Date: Fri Aug 11 2000 - 09:39:22 EDT


OCCUPAIONAL SEGREGATION was literal until this last
generation. I am not conversant in the details of this labor history, but
women could not be law enforcement officers, airline pilots,
letter carriers, and much much more. This was part of written
policy. Men could not be telephone operators, flight attendants, etc.,
for the same reason. Even after the passage of Title VII, litigation had
to take place to open up many of these occupations to the other gender.
I know in Honolulu the first women were admitted to the regular police
force as a result of litigation in the mid 70s. I fully recall in my
college days (late 60s and early 70s) law and medical schools that did not
admit women as a matter of policy and practice. Hard to be a physician
when the medical schools are barred to you. Shannon Faulkener's situation
at the Citidal was the norm for many many higher education institutions
befoe the 80s.

When I hear a younger person so lightly express the belief that our
occupations are a result of free choice, it makes me realize that we are
failing in our need to pass on the knowledge and understanding of how many
things we take for granted are the result of hard fought battles by
thousands of people, not some "gift" that a kind and benevolant community
has offered. And that those battles have not yet been won for
everybody.

By the way, can anyone offer a posting with more details on the history
of occupational segregation? There might be a good website out there,
too.

***************************************************************************
Barbara Tavares
University of Hawaii
808/956-6194



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