Stewardesses for Women's Rights

In 1972, two Eastern Airlines flight attendants, Sandra Jarrell and Jan Fulsom, took Eastern to court on charges of discriminatory weight and grooming regulations. They decided to band together with other women and fight discrimination and sexism throughout the industry.

In March of 1973, they organized their first national conference held in New York City, hosted by Gloria Steinem. Then in June 1973, the Stern Family Fund granted the SFWR $25,000, which enabled them to open a national office in Rockefeller Center, New York City. Great progress was made in the next few years toward better working conditions, equal treatment with male co-workers, and getting hazardous cargo off passenger flights. Through their involvement with SFWR, many flight attendants became interested and active in their own unions, and thus drifted away from involvement with SFWR. Due to declining membership and lack of funding, SFWR closed its doors in the spring of 1976.

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