by Janice Nakano
Aldridge Pite LLP
USFN Member (AK, CA, FL, GA, HI, ID, NY, OR, UT, WA)

Part one of a two-part series.

Most of us remember that scene in the movie My Cousin Vinnie, when Marisa Tomei’s character is called to the stand as an expert witness. I knew what was coming but relished witnessing it happening before a court. She was about to put the prosecutor in his place, and I felt such pride watching her do just that. This woman, whose strong New Jersey accent and alluring attire and flirtatious attitude, is stereotypically the opposite of what some may perceive as a credible expert in the field of automotive mechanics. She proceeded to rattle off details that left the men in the room flabbergasted.

Women working as auto mechanics is not the norm. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2018 there were 19,236 female auto mechanics (2.1 percent of all auto mechanics) and a total of 130,174 women in the field of automotive repair and maintenance. Why are women in this field underrepresented? Perhaps one of the main reasons female auto mechanics are so rare is because of a lack of role models in the past. Do social constructs influence interests at an early age? We all know that men and women, for the most part, are wired differently, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t rewire and rewrite our future and we want to make room for the idea that the wiring is a result of expectations and attempts to “fit in.”

Another field that is highly underrepresented, but slowly growing, is women in the military. In the true-life story of Megan Leavey, this young female Marine corporal served as a Military Police K9 handler. Leavey and her military working dog, Rex, served two deployments in Iraq and completed more than 100 missions, saving countless lives. At first, I wondered why a woman would want to work in one of the most dangerous jobs in the military: combat. She said that the main reason why she enlisted in the Marines was because of September 11^th. She completed her basic training at Parris Island and enrolled to become part of the military police, applying to the K-9 unit where she was assigned to Rex. In her second deployment to Ramadi in 2006, she and Rex were both injured by a makeshift explosive device. Upon her return, she received the Purple Heart and, although it took until 2012, with the help from a NY Senator, Rex was released and retired from military duty, and they were reunited.

This brave woman went into a battle zone where even some of the most courageous soldiers are afraid to go. So why aren’t there more women in the military? For starters, it has been an arduous struggle convincing the military that women can play an important role in combat, administration, and leadership. It wasn’t until January 2013 that the Combat Exclusion Policy was lifted, and women were finally eligible to serve in front line combat and complete combat operations. This prohibition had tremendous impact on the opportunities women had. Fortunately, society is slowly changing its expectations to a male-only view of type of soldiering views are changing and as more young women join up, we will see more women moving into roles that were once thought of as a man’s job.

The third uncommon role for women is firefighting. The first woman firefighter is said to have been a woman named Molly Williams, who became a member of the New York City Oceanus Engine Company #11 in 1815. By the 1970’s, women were becoming career firefighters, working side-by-side with their male peers.  The story of Cindy Fralick is depicted in the movie aptly named, “Firefighter,” in which Ms. Fralick fights to become LA’s first female firefighter during the early 1980’s. Ms. Fralick passes the written exams, but many doubt she will be strong enough to pass the physical tests. After her training, she becomes the first woman in sixty years to pass the tests. She enters the Academy where she is treated atrociously and wants to give up, but she is encouraged by her Chief to continue her pursuit. Through hard work and perseverance, she earns the respect in her community and among her fellow firefighters. 

Generally, we view firefighting as a man’s job. We think it takes power and stamina to work in this profession. Honestly, I’m not sure how easily I would be able to carry a firehose up a flight of stairs, all while wearing a uniform that adds up to about 45 extra pounds. Add on a thermal imaging camera, radio, and set of irons and you’re up to about 75 pounds. There’s no doubt that a certain amount of physical strength is necessary to do the job, but fitness and training can give women the tools they need to become a firefighter.  Today, more than 6,500 women now hold career firefighting and fire officer’s positions in the United States. Add on the volunteer and paid-on-call fire and EMS forces and there are perhaps 30-40,000 women firefighters in the U.S.

The common basis for the idea that an occupation is “a man’s job” are historical exclusion or social constructs. If we are thoughtful about how we view work and who may be doing the work, we can change those expectations. Overcoming barriers set to prevent access to advancement especially as imposed upon women is a pursuit that continues today, but as women become more involved in industries and organizations, we are seeing a cultural shift. I am encouraged by organizational involvement in making the right changes to create an environment where any minority can rise through the ranks and become the leaders of our future. 

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October 2021 e-Update