Excerpts from ChicagoTribune.com:
It's rare to find a workplace in the U.S. where women haven't made their mark—but in one of the last remaining male-dominated fields, it's still possible for a fire department to hire its first female firefighter. This is exactly what happened in Joliet, Illinois, which recently welcomed its first woman into its 165-year history. While many departments have been integrating women for decades, some still have only one or even no female firefighters at all.
Nationally, women make up just around 4% of firefighters, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. That’s significantly lower than the 14% of women in law enforcement and the military. Even traditionally male jobs like farming and construction management have higher female representation than firefighting.
Although attitudes have improved over time, challenges remain. In Fairfax County, Virginia, Firefighter Nicole Mittendorff took her own life in 2016 after enduring online harassment related to her job. A female officer was later appointed to address gender issues, but she resigned this year, claiming her recommendations were ignored.
This year, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the city of Houston, alleging that two female firefighters faced severe sexual harassment, including male coworkers urinating in their dormitory, writing sexist messages on walls, and disabling their communication devices during emergencies.
The Chicago Fire Department has faced multiple lawsuits over the years for alleged racial and gender discrimination in hiring. For years, the department used physical tests that were criticized as biased against women. Eventually, they replaced them with the Candidate Physical Ability Test, which better reflects the actual demands of the job—like climbing stairs, lifting ladders, dragging hoses, carrying equipment, swinging axes, and conducting searches.
A study conducted by researchers at Drexel University in Philadelphia, published in September in the Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, looked at the experiences of 30 female firefighters. Most reported facing a double standard, especially if they were the first woman in their department. Some experienced discrimination or harassment, but many felt a strong sense of duty to support other women in the field. Interestingly, the research also found that male firefighters often saw their female colleagues as more effective at de-escalating situations, calming patients, and assessing risks during emergencies.
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