By Kristen Krey, Grants Administrator – City of Glendale, AZ
A few weeks ago I was at a retirement gathering for a close friend who had served for 20 years on our police force. As a former employee of the same police department there were many familiar faces at the event and some new employees as well. I started my career in public safety in 1990 and made the switch to city hall in 2005. During a conversation I discovered that some of the newer employees were not aware of the prior restrictions we had “back in the day” some specific to both genders, but some specific to females only. Some examples include height restrictions, weight restrictions, no tattoos, no piercings, no nail polish, police dispatchers were required to wear skirts, yes even in 1990. I found this conversation to be somewhat enlightening and it reminded me of how far we have come, but also reinforced how much further we need to go.
Next month is Women’s History Month. Here’s my challenge to you, take a little time to reflect on the history of women and engage with your friends and colleagues! Plan a luncheon or an after work gathering to honor our history and brainstorm how to make a difference in our future. Interestingly, our sisters in the corporate world have very similar concerns to those of us in government.
Women’s History Month, now celebrated every March, was started by the Sonoma, California School District in 1987. In 1987, Congress officially acknowledged the month of appreciation.
Here are some interesting links to get you started:
http://www.diversityinc.com/diversity-facts/womens-history-month-facts/
