Lessons in Gender Equity

Recently, my friend Barbara gave me some great advice about what to read next: Lessons in Chemistry. How had this book escaped my notice till now? It’s set in the 1960’s when women were overlooked and underestimated in the workplace: the story of a feminist fighting back. She was a woman in a man’s world (research chemistry) so it was definitely a fight. It’s a must read!

 

I quickly obtained the audiobook from BorrowBox and spent the afternoon listening, shutting out the wild weather outside. At 6.30 pm I switched on Compass to find the author Bonnie Garmus being interviewed. She is in Australia at the moment and has already been on the radio on Conversations.

All this set me thinking about my own brush with anti-female prejudice in the workplace. I was a young librarian in Sheffield and determined to progress up the ladder (mainly to improve my earning capacity). I was not in a man’s world by any stretch of the imagination. However, it was apparent that all the top posts within the organisation were held by men. I first worked in the Reference Library and then managed to obtain the position of Branch Librarian “because I wasn’t afraid to tell a man what to do” (so said my boss). Was this personal attribute more important than my paper qualifications?

At the time, Branch Libraries were used as Polling Stations on Election Day. For several years, I had worked as a Polling Clerk, a long day but good pay. Then I thought I should apply to become a Presiding Officer (i.e. the person in charge of the Polling Station). But only men did this job. “What if there is any trouble?” I was asked. “There is always a policeman on duty” I replied. “I’m in charge of the Branch Library every other day of the year.” Finally they relented. A small step for women kind!

While writing this, I remembered something else about Sheffield City Libraries. They produced careers leaflets to be given out to school leavers who expressed an interest. One leaflet was pink, the other blue. The pink leaflet was for girls and described the job of a Library Assistant. The blue leaflet was for boys and described the pathway to becoming a Chartered Librarian. The official explanation was that the pay for a Library Assistant was not enough for a man to support a wife and family. This seemed to make sense in the 1960’s and I thought nothing of it. It was the norm. I was just fortunate to have the qualifications that put me on the blue side of the fence.

There was a flaw, however. What if the woman found herself as a single parent and the breadwinner? This happened to the heroine of Lessons in Chemistry and it happened to me. 

Me in my library at work with my card index.