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Putting MomsRising's Logo to Rest --- At Least for Now
Thursday, September 13, 2007
This is my last post about the MomsRising logo for awhile in hopes of not sounding nauseatingly redundant. I was invited to write about this issue for Literary Mama and will let you know when my essay is published and will keep you up-to-date on the favorable feedback as well as the fiery criticism. Tomorrow I will resume my posts about infant feeding unless someone brings up a point that simply begs to be addressed.
Over the past week I have highlighted some of the historical reasons why I do not like the MomsRising logo. These reasons are quite apparent now, so there is no need to rehash them. Today, though, I want to share some of the more interesting photographs that jumped out at me this week as I was going through pictures of women war workers.
The federal government built dormitories for women workers and, of course, they were segregated -- it was the 1940s after all. Here is a dorm for the white women workers. And look! Those are called "date booths". The government couldn't have their workers getting pregnant, now could they?
Below is a government hotel for black women war workers. Administrative staff members of the $760,000 Lucy D. Slowe Residence Hall, first government constructed hotel for black women war workers, in Washington, D.C. are shown in one of the nooks of the spacious lounge of the hotel.
And, here is the launching of the SS Booker T. Washington that black women and men war workers helped build. Mrs. Mary McLeod Bethune, Director of Negro Affairs, National Youth Administration (NYA); an identified member of the local committee; Marian Anderson, celebrated contralto; Dr. William J. Thompkins, Recorder of Deeds, Washington, D.C.; Reverend F.D. Jordon, Los Angeles;.1942 Sept. 29.
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA-OWI Collection, Reproduction Numbers: LC-USE6-D-007661 DLC, LC-USW3-025726-E DLC
Labels: breastfeeding history, commentary
posted by Jennifer James @ 12:43 PM,
3 Comments:
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At September 13, 2007 5:01 PM,
Fat Lady said...
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Well, I couldn't resist playing with the idea changing Rosie to make her more appropriate, so I needed to look at her more. I Googled her and found LOTS of information. I decided it really was a waste of my time to try and redo the logo. However, in looking around I found the following written on the National Parks Service website:
"Working was not new to women. Women have always worked, especially minority and lower-class women. However, the cultural division of labor by sex ideally placed white middle-class women. in the home and men in the workforce. Also, because of high unemployment during the Depression, most people were against women working because they saw it as women taking jobs from unemployed men...
The United States government had to overcome these challenges in order to recruit women to the workforce...
The government decided to launch a propaganda campaign to sell the importance of the war effort and to lure women into working."
Well, as far as I'm concerned, that should erase any doubt anyone might have that Rosie is a symbol designed to appeal to a very narrow segment of the female population of this country.
That the people at Moms Rising weren't aware, tells me they just weren't paying attention. -
At September 13, 2007 5:02 PM,
Fat Lady said...
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Sorry to double-post. I meant to include the link to the website where I found that quote:
http://www.nps.gov/pwro/collection/website/rosie.htm -
At September 13, 2007 5:50 PM,
Jennifer James said...
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Brilliant! I said I would lay the MomsRising logo to rest unless someone brings up a point that begs to be addressed. This needs to be addressed. Fabulous!
