Elaine Rock

Author

  • Home
  • About
  • Books
    • Books in Progress – Barbara Dusty Roads
    • Other Books in Progress
    • Publications
  • News/Blog
  • Contact

Books in Progress

 

DUSTY ROADS
The Journey That Changed America’s Airline Culture

Dusty Roads and Gloria Steinham

“Dusty Roads stood up for an entire class of women workers – then known as stewardesses – who were supposed to work hard while being decorative, and then be cast aside at 32. In so doing, she also transformed the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission into the first agency that protected women of all races; indeed, the first that addressed race as well as sex. Women and men need her example as a light on the path ahead.” – Gloria Steinem

How would you respond if, after being hired for your dream job at age twenty-two, you were told by your company that you would be fired at age thirty-two because you’ll be too old by then to perform your job duties? In 1953, American Airlines created that rule, mandating the firing of stewardesses at age thirty-two presumably because they would be too old to fly by then. Like marriage, weight and other appearance restrictions, this rule soon became an industry-wide regulation and many stewardesses lived in fear of losing their jobs.

Barbara Dusty Roads, hired as an American Airlines stewardess in 1950, was retroactively protected from dismissal, but nevertheless felt the termination rule was just as arbitrary and sexist as other discriminatory regulations. After all, no male steward or commercial pilot ever had the same demands made upon their employment. Since she couldn’t be fired for growing old, she felt she had nothing to lose by fighting the rule and her Midwestern sense of fair play propelled her into action on behalf of her colleagues. 

Dusty became an ALSSA (Airline Stewards and Stewardesses Association) union vice-chairman and negotiator at the Los Angeles base and her union’s national lobbyist to Washington, D. C. Hers was the most powerful voice for her sisterhood of stewardesses in an industry dominated by male executives and pilots. Her charismatic leadership and determination succeeded in inspiring stewardesses to fight and demonstrate for their civil rights and win. 

 

Dusty Roads

MAKERS 2019 Conference:

Get to Know Dusty Roads, Flight Attendant Fighting Discrimination


Gloria Steinem honors Dusty Roads

LEARN MORE ABOUT DUSTY AND ELAINE’S BOOK-IN-PROGRESS HERE.

Interviews and speaking engagements with Dusty Roads, Jean Montague and Elaine Rock can be arranged by contacting us here.


SEE OTHER BOOK PROJECTS ELAINE IS WORKING ON HERE.

 

FREE Published Short Story

Sign up and receive History in Our Midst for free.

* indicates required




Includes periodic updates and news.
Privacy Policy: We do not share your email with others.

Recent News/Events

  • Flight Attendant Unions Unite Against Coronavirus Concessions
  • New Title for Book Proposal
  • Progress on the Dusty Roads Book!
  • Short Story Accepted for 2019 Redwood Writers Anthology
  • 2019 MAKERS CONFERENCE: Dusty’s Stroke, Recovery and Road Trip

Search

Copyright © 2021 · Elaine J. Rock, All Rights Reserved