You can only push a person too far before he or she will take action, and that’s what’s happened on Amazon’s new show Good Girls Revolt. Based on Lynn Povich’s book, The Good Girls Revolt , the series follows a group of female Newsweek (called News of the Week on the show) employees that sued the magazine for gender discrimination in 1970. Bustle reached out to Newsweek for comment on the original lawsuit and the show portraying it now, but has not yet heard back. The lawsuit resulted in a settlement in which Newsweek agreed to provide equal employment opportunities to women. Of course, the women’s movement did not stop after 1970, and there's a lot more that the show could tackle — and if and when Good Girls Revolt returns for Season 2, perhaps the story could dive even deeper.
A second season for the show isn’t locked down yet, unfortunately, but it's not out of the question, and it could take on some truly important issues. Season 1 of Good Girls Revolt focuses on the women getting their voices heard at News of the World, but, as we all know, there was still plenty of work to do in terms of women’s rights. Back then, for instance, women could only be hired as researchers for the magazine — men did all of the reporting and “journalist” jobs. Basically, as seen on the show, the women would do all of the legwork, write a story with the research, hand it off to their male counterparts, and the pieces would get published with the dude’s name as the byline.
On the show, Patti Robinson, a fictionalized Nora Ephron (she didn’t work at Newsweek for long IRL), Cindy Efron, and others start to realize that if they want to be recognized for their work, they’re going to have to fight for it. In 1970, so much of the world was changing, and the workplace attitudes had to change, too. I can’t help but notice that the conversations that the women have on Good Girls Revolt are fairly similar to modern conversations about women in the workplace. From equal pay to the glass ceiling, things have changed, but have they changed that much? Perhaps not. Here are a few women’s rights events — some of which are still relevant today — I think the show could focus on, should Season 2 happen.
The Launch Of Ms. Magazine
Soon after the Newsweek lawsuit, feminist icon and writer Gloria Steinem led the charge for a magazine for women, by women. It was called Ms., and its first issue launched in 1972. It changed the history of periodicals, so how cool would it be if the characters on Good Girls Revolt had something to do with it, too? Maybe a crossover of Patti dabbling in writing for them? Or a young, fictionalized Steinem recruiting women for editorial positions?
Roe V. Wade
The watershed case in terms of reproductive rights came in 1973, Roe v. Wade ruled that a state law that banned abortions except to save the life of the mother was unconstitutional. According to PBS, “The Court ruled that the states were forbidden from outlawing or regulating any aspect of abortion performed during the first trimester of pregnancy, could only enact abortion regulations reasonably related to maternal health in the second and third trimesters, and could enact abortion laws protecting the life of the fetus only in the third trimester.” Though this case was fought in the courts, there were plenty of women who raised awareness for the issue, and I’m sure the characters of Good Girls Revolt would have had an opinion.
Geraldine Ferraro As VP
In 1984, the women of Good Girls Revolt would be a bit older than in their News of the World heyday, but that doesn’t mean they would give up the cause. I could totally see a time jump during which they start campaigning for Geraldine Ferraro, who was the first female vice presidential candidate (she ran with Walter Mondale, who was gunning for president). In 2016, we’re closer than we’ve ever been to a female POTUS, but in 1984, the ladies had to settle for a heartbeat away. I think the Good Girls Revolt characters would see it as progress and campaign their hearts out.
There are plenty of important and historical women’s issues for Good Girls Revolt to cover, so let’s hope for Season 2 and beyond.
Images: Amazon; Giphy
