Reflection

As I read through research studies on women in nontraditional careers, much of the discussion centered on wages and salaries. This topic is often the one; at times it seems the discussion itself is powered by men. But pay is not the only key issue for working women. It was time to change the tide of discussion.

As I began my reporting I realized I wanted to know how women in male-dominated careers did their jobs despite their extremely low representation in their fields.

I got to know women of great determination. Many are among the first women to accomplish some things: Tina McDermott as the first female lieutenant on the Iowa City Fire Department, Mary Hall Reno as the first female chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy. However, the fact that they are women does not determine their lives. “It’s the best person for the job,” my firefighters chanted, and similar sentiments were shared across other fields.

Through job shadowing and in-depth interviews, I came to appreciate the complexity of their lives. They have families and hobbies, rich experiences and personalities. It became clear, after a first round of interviews, that my focal point would be on these women as people, not as employees.

My subjects also came to accept me as a reporter — not one looking for raving feminists or fire-starters — but rather looking for great stories.

Given my time frame, I didn’t get to all the nuts and bolts I would have liked, e.g. comparing these women with their male counterparts; and learning more about their fields; or spending time with their families. Overall, however, I’m pleased with my results. All of my sources were cooperative enough to let me ask lots of questions.

In preparation to write these profiles, I read and reviewed several books that covered the topic of women and work. The history of women is certainly inspiring — the women I chose to interview would not be where they are without women who broke through those same doors generations before.

I spent the first interview watching these women interact with co-workers or go about their day-to-day responsibilities. In the firehouse, I spent time on a truck for calls, but also in recliners watching television and taking notes on the conversations between the male firefighters and Tina McDermott as she cooked a community stew.

In Mary Hall Reno’s classroom, I watched as she tried to keep the attention of over 250 undergraduates squirming in their seats. In her quiet office, she combs through academic journals and assists graduate students with their projects and studies.

I watched Gayle Roberts interact with several women engineers, providing insight and advice in regards to her struggles and success. She acted not as the president of an international company, but as a woman with a story and experiences to share.

For Lynette Marshall, much of her work is confined to her office when she’s not traveling. She interacts with a management group — her M-Group — that is mostly women as well. They discuss changes in protocol, upcoming donations and future events. In her downtime, Marshall reads books as a self-proclaimed “literature geek.”

I spent two days with BeaDay Plumbers, watching them tug on pipes, joke around with male construction workers and drill holes through ceilings and floors. They swear, talk “shop” with tools and projects, and break barriers as an all-women plumbing team.

I also rode with female police officers on their beats: Shannon Stokesberry in Cedar Rapids, who loves teaching children about safety; Rhonda Jeffrey, a veteran cop who often has to tell rookie men to avoid opening doors for her, because that counts as discrimination; Kelli Smith, a former bartender, who talks with obnoxious inmates at the Clinton County Jail with the same gusto as she spoke to loud patrons; and Christina Rarick with the UI Police who patrols not only for speeders but for out of control college students.

After reading through several pages of interview transcripts, listening to their voices on my recorder and paying close attention to my descriptive notes, I began to share these women in a template package — starting first with each of them in a setting and introducing their history, the path to their career, the obstacles along the way and their futures.

What was most compelling about all of these women were the stories they had to tell. The discrimination they chose to share have made impressions on them and how they view their career, and no road block has hindered any of these women from reaching their goals.

In its finished presentation, I feel these profiles work best separately. I hope to sell them to various publications — alumni magazines, local Iowa City or statewide publications or job-specific resources such as firefighting or plumbing magazines. But as a package, these Iowa women are a demonstration of the diversity of women in male-dominated careers. They range in ages, childhood upbringing and experience, yet they all have a rooted passion for the work they do.

Now, it’s hard to believe I’m at the culmination of my master’s program, after inverting the last seven years in pursuit of various degrees in journalism. From a small community college to The University of Iowa, I can see a tremendous amount of growth and maturity in my writing. I’m so fortunate to have such an education.

This project has been a journey all its own, and I am proud of the results. When I re-read my profiles and and reflect on the relationships I built with the women on these pages, I realize how far curiosity and storytelling have taken me. I’m fortunate to have had the opportunity to examine the careers and lives of such amazing individuals.