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This is Play It Forward. Real people. Real stories. The struggle to Play It Forward Episode 474 With Nell McShane Wulfhart The Great Stewardess Rebellion
It was the Golden Age of Travel and everyone wanted in. As flying boomed in the 1960s, women across America applied for jobs as stewardesses, drawn to the promise of glamorous jet-setting, the chance to see the world, and an alternative to traditional occupations like nursing, teaching, and homemaking.

But as the number of "stews" grew-and it did: in 1965 around one million women interviewed for only 10,000 open positions-so did their suspicions that the job was not as glamorous as the ads would have them believe. "Sky girls" had to adhere to strict weight limits at all times; they couldn't marry or have children; their makeup, hair, nails, and teeth were regulated; girdles were mandatory while on the clock and any supervisor could conduct a "girdle check" at any time, including the pilots; the pay was meager; and, most importantly, they had to resign when they turned 32.