27. Closed Doors: What’s behind the door? Why is it closed?
I just finished listening to “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus and it brilliantly showcased how life sucks for women in areas of profession and personal life. The protagonist is a 1950’s woman who is passionate about chemistry. Society, friends, and the patriarchy try to thwart her interests and success. She is sexually assaulted but not only is her report is discounted but she is dropped from her graduate studies. She gets a job as a chemist but her work is stolen and she is fired for being unwed and pregnant. She is advised to be small, fit in, go along with what’s expected but she simply won’t compromise her beliefs. By being a role model, she inspires other women to follow their passion and believe in their abilities.
Although this is set in the 1950s and maybe we’re supposed to see how far we’ve come since then, I think many of the advances are superficial. There are still too many closed doors to women.
