A shocking list of requirements for women wanting to work as flight attendants in the 1950s has gone viral. Hundreds of social media users reacted to a list of 19 qualifications women were required to meet in 1954 for the now-defunct Chicago and Southern Airlines. Several requirements focused on a candidate’s physical features, including height, weight, skin and teeth, while the candidates were required to weigh between 100 and 120 pounds. In addition, the women were to have a good figure, slender legs, and a “good carriage.” The airline also insisted that flight attendants have the ability to carry on a lively conversation and be “willing and anxious to please.” One social media user said the list feels manipulative, while a second said the list would be “super illegal” now. One user explained how her mother was required to follow a strict diet, weigh and measure daily, and was encouraged to smoke while she was a flight attendant in 1964. “They were told how to walk, including the old ‘pile of books on the head’ walking test,” said the user. Flight attendants today still must look and dress professionally, as well as pass rigorous training and tests, but the height and weight restrictions have largely disappeared, and, of course, smoking is never permitted.
