Why is there a restriction for females in NASA?

In Hidden Figures, There is a scene where Paul Stafford stops Katherine Johnson from entering into the meeting.

Paul Stafford: There is no protocol for women attending.

Katherine Johnson: There's no protocol for a man circling the Earth either, sir.

Later, she is allowed by Alan into the meeting.

There is another scene where we can see control room filled with only men:

Later Alan welcomes Katherine into the Friendship 7 Control Room.

Why is there is a restriction for women in NASA?

plot-explanation hidden-figures

Best Answer

Why is there is a restriction for women in NASA?

It wasn't just NASA

It was the culture of the time in the US.

In the late 1950's and early 1960's women weren't treated as equals in the workplace (I won't get into how that has progressed since as it's a much wider subject).

Professional roles such as scientists and mathematicians were almost exclusively male and white in 1960's America.

The fact was that in 1962 most "professional" positions for women would have been secretarial or the like. The most a woman could expect in the way of supervisory or managerial positions would have been in charge of other women. Mrs Mitchell in Hidden Figures is a prime example right in this movie.

Rising to positions of authority or roles outside of the norm would have been most unusual...at the time...unless the woman was exceptionally talented and given the opportunity....and a level playing field.

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Can girls work in NASA?

When NASA began in 1958, its staff was almost completely male. To this day, that perception continues to hold true. However, reality is very different today. The number of women working at NASA has grown since the agency's founding, with many making significant contributions to the nation's space program.

Can females go to space?

Here are more notable achievements by women in human spaceflight: As of March 2022, 75 women have flown in space, including cosmonauts, astronauts, payload specialists, and space station participants. The first woman in space was Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, who flew on Vostok 6 on June 16, 1963.

What percent of NASA is female?

Women make up only about a third of NASA's workforce. They comprise just 28 percent of senior executive leadership positions and are only 16 percent of senior scientific employees, according to a survey done by the agency.

Do female astronauts wear bras in space?

Women don't wear bras primarily for support, they're also worn as a thick layer of coverage so detailed outlines are not visible. Although the support portion may not be necessary in space, in a professional setting the extra layer of coverage may still be preferred by some.

Women In Space: NASA's Awkward History With Female Astronauts | Mach | NBC News

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