I recently watched the new Nickelodeon documentary, “Quiet On Set,” just like what seems the rest of America has been doing.
In the first episode, two women writers spoke about their experience and how they were being treated. They were mocked, singled out, forced to split a salary while the men had individual salaries and asked to pitch their ideas bent over a table pretending to be sodomized.
The documentary, which is available on Max, formerly HBO Max, is a four episode mini series focusing on the child stars of Nickelodeon and the dangers they were exposed to on set. “Quiet On Set” clearly has multiple topics to focus on and discuss, but March is Women’s History Month, and I am a woman about to enter the workforce, the “man’s world.”
Hearing those women talk about how they were forced to split their salary, forced to stand in front of a group of men and be laughed at or being fired because “women aren’t funny” heavily upset me.
An important aspect of Women’s History Month is celebrating women’s contributions to society and history. Throughout history, women have earned the right to vote, have an education and not be considered men’s property. Even with these great advances, women still face adversity and are seen as less, especially in an office setting.
I see videos on social media of celebrities, such as America Ferrera, Emma Watson, Taylor Swift and Scarlett Johansson, talking about a man being in charge is just the boss, but when a woman is in charge, she is bossy or having to answer questions about their underwear. Truthfully, it’s exhausting.
Women have only had the right to vote for 100 years, and we have come a long way since then but there is still more to do. I don’t have the answers on how to fix it or why it is still a problem. Unfortunately, I am not convinced it will ever go away completely, but hopefully experiences like what those women went through on set will.
I hope this provided something to think about. Remember, it starts out small with things like degrading jokes. Before you make those comments, think about how it would make you feel if your daughter came home crying because a boy said the same thing to her. Think of the world you want your daughters or sisters to grow up in. What are you doing to make the world a safe place for their success? Are you doing anything?
I will leave this with a line from Greta Gerwig’s 2019 “Little Women,” one of my favorite quotes: “Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, I’m so sick of people saying that love is just all a woman is fit for.”
Edited by Jeremy Ford and LeSha’ Davis
Elle A Spinger • Oct 20, 2024 at 9:46 am
Clearly, women are capable of doing the same jobs as many men. They should always be paid a fair and even wage to the men working at the same jobs that they are doing, they should also be recognized for merit and promoted with the same opportunities as men.
As a women, I have felt that women have been diminished over the past 3 years. I see men stepping into the part too often. They take over our sports and spaces. It must be nice to choose what gender you are depending on your feeling on any one day. Women do not have a choice about what our bodies constantly remind us of. We bleed monthly, and are most times are physically weaker than men. These are things that we cannot put on and take off like a coat. We are smart and able to match and exceed a man’s mental ability. We work hard to do things that are physically easy for men, but that hard work shows commitment and desire to do the things we challenge ourselves with. We get the jobs done. We should definitely be paid for that effort at the same rates as men. This competition we feel when we see inequalities, in promotions and pay, are annoying at best. Maybe women need to start more businesses where they can make fair work environments to work in. Then advocate for changes in the workplaces of society.