Whose Stories Do We Tell?

ZELDA ARMSTRONG 

You’ve heard it often in these pages – everyone has a story! But historically, whose stories are handed down? Whose stories count in the long reach of human history? What events are remembered – and why? We all know the answer to that. History is written by the winners, mostly men. The voices of ordinary people, especially women, are seldom remembered. However, those who attended the Ladies’ Lunch on January 27th at the Northview Branch were given an interesting insight into the story of working women in Oshawa. 

Amanda Robinson is a lecturer at Ontario Tech University. She used pictures from the Bouckley Collection, an extensive resource of photographs which chronicle Oshawa’s past, to illustrate the history of women’s work. Of course women have always worked, mostly in the home, on the land and as servants. A picture of scullery maids at Parkwood in the 1920’s with their superior, a butler, reminded us of this. However, the fight for women’s right to work in professions began in earnest in the early part of the twentieth century. Nursing and teaching presented respectable jobs in which women in stiff petticoats could earn a living and gain some independence. Nevertheless, to become a nurse one had to be a British subject of good moral character – and white! 

One photo showed a parade down Simcoe Street of veiled men in women’s dress, carrying suffragette signs. Were they marching in support of their female friends or were they mocking them? Although by the 1930’s women were starting to work in other jobs, the general policy was not to hire married women. Those who did get jobs earned much less than men and were placed on separate seniority lists. These policies persevered into the 1970’s, although women who worked at General Motors challenged stereotypes and were leaders of the suffragette movement. 

During World War II women took on many jobs previously reserved for men only, helping to turn out munitions, planes and tanks. When the war ended, however, Rosy the Riveter was pushed back to her home. Frustration and resentment set in and women of GM became important agents of change. Many readers will know of Beverly McCloskey, a feminist, union member and human rights advocate who became widely known for her fight to have the category of gender included as a discriminatory practice included in the Human Rights Code of Canada. 

This talk sparked discussions among the groups of women around the lunch tables who had their own stories of discrimination to tell. Be sure to check out the next Ladies’ Lunch to see what interesting talk is on the agenda!