Identities, Politics, and Culture in Flux: Bodily Autonomy, Political Rights, the ERA, and Breaking from Established Narratives

From the 1960s to the 1980s, women’s criticisms of their treatment in science and industry increased with changes in cultural attitudes toward women’s rights. Female geologists expressed their ideas about their bodies, sexuality, rights, and role in science and industry. Profiles of women in geology contained many of the same characteristics of the pin-up type newspaper and magazine articles, but the criticisms of sexism and advocacy of women working in science increased. Women working in geology commented on their sexuality and bodies, as represented in newspaper articles featuring women interested in geology who posed for pornographic magazines like Playboy. Women geologist profiles in newspapers and magazines commented and even criticized some of the glamour associated with working in geology and science. Political and cultural changes like attempts to pass the Equal Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution received attention from working women geologist in profiles in newspapers and magazines. An increasing aspect of glamour in the working lives of women geologists was to be politically informed and active.