Photo Essay: Female Bus Drivers, Male Flight Attendants

8/12/2019 Photo Essay: Female Bus Drivers, Male Flight Attendants

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Photo Essay 2: Female Bus Drivers, Male Flight Attendants GE3201The Service Economy

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2013-2014 Semester 1/NUS/GE3201/Photo Essay 2 Woon Wei Seng A0002916N

GE3201 The Service Economy

Photo Essay:Female Bus Drivers, Male Flight Attendants

Transgressive gender performance in Londons transportation sector

Woon Wei Seng (A0002916N)

Everyone has certain stereotypes about what jobs are suitable for each gender. But

are these stereotypes natural? Jobs are not gender neutral [but] created as appropriate

for either gender, with social practices constituting them constructed to embody socially

sanctioned but variable characteristics of masculinity and femininity (Jarvis, Kantor & Cloke

2009:204). Additionally, being employed in particular jobs also shapes ones identity

(McDowell, 2009). Employment hence constructs and is socially constructed by expectations

about gender roles and behaviour, service work without exception.

Implicit in discussions about the gendered nature of service work is its performativity:

the embodied performance of much service work indicates how gender and

performativity are highly intertwined (McDowell, 2009:49). However, transgressive

performances can challenge gendered stereotypes about service work, as we shall explore

in this photo essay focusing on bus drivers and flight attendants. It features photos taken

while on SEP to London1(ibid:56).

1I was in Kings College London in 2012/2013 Semester 2 (January to June 2013) for Student Exchange

Programme (SEP).


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Female Bus Drivers?

As a transport aficionado and regular bus passenger, I developed affection for this

affordable and comfortable mode of public transport, especially in London2. But in my six

months there, I did not encounter any female bus drivers. Why is this so?

Figure 1 Expecting a female bus driver? Unlikely to see them!

A visit to the London Transport Museum, a must-go for an enthusiast like myself, did

not yield any answers. In fact, an advertisement showcased demonstrated the contrary: that

London Transport3welcomed female drivers (Figure 2).

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Buses are, after all, the cheapest mode of public transport (1.40 per trip) in London besides cycling, andbuses tend not to be as crowded as Tube trains.3Predecessor of public transport authority Transport for London.


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Figure 2 Exhibit featuring an advertisement (1980) calling for women bus drivers4

So where are the female drivers? Sexist attitudes of London Transport have changed

over time since the 1970s5, reflecting acceptance in society of female drivers (Mole, 2010).

However, the occupation remains stereotyped as more masculine: despite research showing

women being better bus drivers, attitudes remain entrenched many still think women

cannot drive and hence are unsuitable (White et al, 1989; Scott, 2008; People 1st

, 2013).

4The text on the left says: Like most transport organisations, London Transport was dominated by men. Job

opportunities for women were limited. The war years had widened womens work beyond traditional clerical

and catering jobs. Women continued to work as bus conductors after the war, but both unions and

management were opposed to becoming drivers. Change came in 1974. A new law gave women the right to beconsidered for any job. London Transport soon had female drivers, inspectors, engineers and architects.5Legal rights to womens employment were enhanced in the 1970s.


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Figure 3My performance as bus driver

The museum allowed visitors to pose and perform as bus drivers (Figure 3). But

how many girls will do so? Will people approve?


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Male Flight Attendants

On the other hand, my extensive flying around Europe in these six months

encountered more male flight attendants (FAs) than before (Figure 4). Are there really more

male FAs today?

Figure 4Are male flight attendants rare?6

Embodied performance and emotional labour are highly important to FAs: being

physically attractive, well-groomed, jovial and gentle undergird expectations towards FAs

(McDowell, 2009). FAs are socialised into specific practices and dispositions often associated

with femininity. Hence men doing female jobs tend to shock many (ibid:56).

6This was taken on a KLM flight from London to Amsterdam in January; the FAs are briefing on in-flight safety.


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Traditionally, FAs are stereotyped as a more feminine occupation, in a self-

perpetuating cycle (Shinar, 1975:110) where a predominantly-female occupation must be

womens work and hence entail feminine traits (White et al, 1989:296). Today, FAs are

seen as more gender neutral, and in America male FAs are increasing (Bouazzaoui & Mullet,

2012; Raghuvanshi, 2013). Perhaps, the gendered and embodied expectations society has of

FAs are decreasing, unlike that of bus drivers?

(500 words)


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Bibliography

Bouazzaoui, B. and Mullet, E. (2012) Perception of Occupational Gender Typing: Contrasting

French Maghrebi Origins and French from European Origins Viewpoints. Review of

European Studies, 4(5), 64-74.

Jarvis, H., Kantor, P. and Cloke, J. (2009) Cities and Gender. New York: Routledge.

McDowell, L. (2009) Working Bodies: Interactive Service Employment and Workplace

Identities. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.

Mole, A. (2010) The Tubes First Female Driver. [Online] Available from: http://london-

underground.blogspot.sg/2010/03/tubes-first-female-driver.html [Accessed 26

September 2013].

Raghuvanshi, G. (2013, July 5) Go Airlines Seeks Only Female Flight Attendants. TheWall

Street Journal Asia.

Scott, I. (2008) Women make better drivers. Injury Prevention, 14, 219.

Shinar, E. H. (1975) Sexual Stereotypes of Occupations.Journal of Vocational Behavior, 7,

99-111.

White, M. J., Kruczek, T. A., Brown, M. T. and White, G. B. (1989) Occupational Sex

Stereotypes Among College Students.Journal of Vocational Behavior, 34, 289-298.

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Photo Essay: Female Bus Drivers, Male Flight Attendants

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