The book version of The Good Girls Revolt caught my eye at the library back in 2012. I checked it out.... then didn't get past the first few pages before I had to return it. I was excited to hear a few months back that it was being made into a show for Amazon.
Finally, during this week when lots of downtime and hanging on the couch feels mandatory, I started watching the show. I am hooked. Good Girls Revolt fictionalizes the story of the how female employees of Newsweek (including the book's author Lynn Povich) filed a complaint of gender discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 1970. I'm only a few episodes in, but I'm impressed with how effectively it shows the many ways rigid gender roles narrowly confine the female characters.
It's also fascinating to learn more about Eleanor Holmes Norton's involvement in the case. I'm familiar with her as the longtime member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Washington, D.C. I had no idea she was an attorney for the ACLU, and represented the Newsweek women in their complaint.
I was also very disappointed to hear that Amazon canceled the show despite critical and ratings success. This piece from The Atlantic tying the show's cancelation in with broader issues of women's representation in the business world.
The first episode features Nora Ephron, who worked at Newsweek after she graduated from College. Her appearance reminded me of her wonderful Wellesley Commencement speech from 1996. It's funny, insightful, and feels timely even 20 years later.
Have you all seen Good Girls Revolt? What did you think of it?
