America's First Ladies of Flight: A History of Feminism in Flying

Abstract

The early twentieth century saw the proliferation of modern feminist values that challenged the notion that women were incapable of working outside the home, especially in careers involving math, science, and risk taking. Women pilots who flew during the Golden Age of Aviation, from the mid to late 1910s to early 1940s, exemplify the dueling gender ideals of the era. Female flyers faced a dilemma of having to choose between dual gender expectations. It was only acceptable to either lead a life of domesticity or the life of the "modern-working woman" not both. Through analysis of the lives and accomplishments of four women aviation pioneers, Neta Snook, Pancho Barnes, Amelia Earhart, and Jackie Cochran, a herstory of women's liberation emerges. Their triumphs and struggles as females in a male dominated industry showcase the fearless determination that allowed women in the early twentieth century to have their families and live their dreams too.