The documentary "Fly With Me," airing on PBS America, explores the role of flight attendants in the 1970s feminist movement. The series highlights the controversial portrayal of stewardesses in advertisements, notably a National Airlines campaign featuring a model named Judy. This campaign, criticized for its provocative tone, prompted backlash from flight attendants, including Kathleen Heenan, who found it insulting.
In a broader context, the documentary reveals the stringent and often discriminatory employment conditions for flight attendants during that era. Job applicants for United Airlines, for example, had to meet specific age, marital status, height, weight, and appearance requirements. Gaining weight, getting married, or becoming pregnant could lead to termination, with most stewardesses being dismissed by age 35.
Eastern Airlines and TWA further objectified flight attendants through their advertising and uniforms. Stewardesses were also required to navigate hazardous situations, such as flying into war zones during the Vietnam War and managing hijacking incidents, all while maintaining a composed demeanor.
The documentary underscores how these women, often underestimated, played a critical role in both the airline industry and the broader women's rights movement. Through subtle acts of defiance, such as wearing wedding rings to oppose marriage prohibitions, flight attendants began to challenge and eventually change the discriminatory practices of the time.