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Fly Girls


How five daring women defied all odds and made aviation history.
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What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

Created: 04/03/19

Replies: 19

Posted Apr. 03, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?


Posted Apr. 05, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
katherinep

Join Date: 07/16/14

Posts: 374

RE: What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

At the time, it was neither derogatory or complimentary. It was common to call women Girls and they do so today among themselves. Today's young women would not stand to be called girls--or aviatrixes for that matter. They are pilots, aviators--terms that are not gender specific.


Posted Apr. 05, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
RuthEh

Join Date: 07/31/17

Posts: 67

RE: What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

Men had to come up with a "name" for what these women represented. To call them pilots was to acknowledge they were in the same class, men couldn't stand for that. It was an ideal description of what the girls were. To this day, the term "girl" is used as a friendly term or a derogatory term mostly by women to each other!


Posted Apr. 05, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
rebeccar

Join Date: 03/13/12

Posts: 548

RE: What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

At the time it was probably developed as a way to imply that these females were a temporary exception to the fact that it was guys in the 'cock pit' (now a gender-neutral flight deck.) However, it does not bother me to hear that terminology. Even today, I still think of and usually refer to my close female friends as girlfriends rather than women.


Posted Apr. 06, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
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skagitgrits

Join Date: 02/24/17

Posts: 64

RE: What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

This was the perfect title. It's what they were called and fits them to a tee. These were remarkable, independent and adventurous women for anytime but particularly for their own time in history.


Posted Apr. 06, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
paulagb

Join Date: 08/16/17

Posts: 173

RE: What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

At the time it was probably not considered derogatory, but certainly intended to keep them in their place. Today the term would definitely be offensive. Today such a label would be interpreted not only as derogatory, but an attempt. to restrict effectiveness.


Posted Apr. 07, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
kimk

Join Date: 10/16/10

Posts: 889

RE: What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

I think then, as now, the press was looking for a snappy way to refer to these women, and that it was neither complementary or derogatory. I'm sure I've heard the term "Fly Boys" in reference to male pilots, so this seems like a reasonable term for the women.


Posted Apr. 07, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
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alwaysdaddygirl

Join Date: 09/04/16

Posts: 110

RE: What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

I think it an appropriate title, especially for that era. I would never find it derogatory. With all due respect, I think it depends on the individual. For example, like many people( not all) in today society get sensitive over something or easily offended. In many ways, it has got out of hand.


Posted Apr. 08, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
juliep

Join Date: 04/07/12

Posts: 250

RE: What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

I think it was only a little complimentary, but mostly a catchy term for the newspapers, media and the public to use. And it was better than the race being called the “powderpuff” which was certainly derogatory. At the time I don’t think this was the main concern of the women, since they just wanted acceptance for women in aviation.


Posted Apr. 08, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
johnw

Join Date: 03/11/12

Posts: 102

RE: What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

I think it an appropriate title, especially for that time period.


Posted Apr. 08, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
alycet

Join Date: 04/23/12

Posts: 182

RE: What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

I've been called a lot worse. I received my pilot's license in 1968. Calling all women girls was common then and now. It doesn't seem to have the same connotation as calling a man a boy.


Posted Apr. 08, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
janeto

Join Date: 06/05/18

Posts: 41

RE: What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

What I find a bit derogatory is the need to single out the women at all. I would have found a book written about early aviators to be just as compelling and would have given the female pilots equal status. By calling them "Fly Girls" one implies that they didn't quite qualify as the real thing.


Posted Apr. 08, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
cathyoc

Join Date: 04/26/17

Posts: 247

RE: What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

I think it was the perfect title, it complimented the term “fly boys” often used for pilots at the time.


Posted Apr. 10, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
swchis39

Join Date: 09/26/12

Posts: 172

RE: What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

I think it was appropriate for the time period. It also was a little catchy.


Posted Apr. 11, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
lynnw

Join Date: 09/01/11

Posts: 166

RE: What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

I try not to get caught up in titles. It was a good title that was appropriate for the subject.


Posted Apr. 12, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Maggie

Join Date: 01/01/16

Posts: 434

RE: What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

I liked that the were called Fly Girls and they did not seem to be offended.


Posted Apr. 14, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
bobbie7

Join Date: 09/19/13

Posts: 65

RE: What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

Although, nowdays, with the stifling "politically correctness" of every statement, every title, and every description the title "girls" would be offensive and sexist, "Fly Girls" is a catchy and descriptive title. I loved it. These were women or "girls" with such a competitive, daring, and "in your face" courage to flaunt their ability and bravery against men, at the risk of humiliation, failure and even death. If I had the guts to do what they did I would be proud and elated to be called a "Fly Girl"!!!


Posted Apr. 18, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
dianaps

Join Date: 05/29/15

Posts: 460

RE: What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

I never really thought anything about it.


Posted Apr. 22, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
JulieAB

Join Date: 07/16/13

Posts: 117

RE: What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

At that time I don't think it was either. For me, it's not derogatory, but I know women today that would be offended.


Posted Apr. 22, 2019 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Elizabeth Marie

Join Date: 05/26/18

Posts: 77

RE: What do you think about calling these remarkable women "Fly Girls." Do you think it was complimentary or derogatory, and why?

Like the term, “Fly Boys,” for men, we would reject it today, but it was not offensive at the time. As a book title, it’s great. It intrigues me and makes me want to read the book.


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