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The Girlfriends: Flight or Fight

The Girlfriends: Flight or Fight

Épisode 1The Girlfriends S1/E7: Cowabunga14 août 2023 · 38 min
Épisodes
67
Format
Série – à écouter depuis le début
Dernier épisode
26 Oct 2026
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In the golden age of air travel, flying was sold as glamorous, luxurious, and effortlessly chic. But for the young women working the aisles at 30,000 feet, the reality was very different. When Patt Gibbs joined American Airlines in the 1960s, she was trained to be slim, smiling, and subservient. Stewardesses like her were weighed like luggage, forced to retire at 32 years old, banned from marriage, and expected to endure sexual harassment with grace. One extra pound, one birthday too many, or one wedding ring and your wings were clipped. But when Patt walks into a union meeting on a whim, everything changes. The Girlfriends: Flight or Fight tells the story of the stewardesses who refused to be grounded. From secret meetings to landmark discrimination cases to high-stakes union votes, these women challenged America’s biggest airlines and the sexism baked into the industry itself. A powerful sisterhood began to form across cabin aisles and crew lounges. They weren’t just fighting for better contracts. They were fighting for control of their own lives.

The Girlfriends: Flight or Fight is produced by Novel for iHeartPodcasts. For more from Novel, visit https://novel.audio/. 

You can listen to new episodes of The Girlfriends: Flight or Fight completely ad-free and 1 week early with an iHeart True Crime+ subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 

Épisodes 67

  1. The Girlfriends S6/Bonus 2: Then and Now

    37 minSaison 6 · Épisode 10Bonus

    Pan Am stewardess Patricia Ireland loves her job until sexism and inequality become impossible to ignore. When a fight over health insurance sparks a feminist awakening, Patricia’s journey leads her from …

  2. The Girlfriends S6/Bonus 1: The Scapegoat

    43 minSaison 6 · Épisode 9Bonus

    During the early AIDS crisis, one man was wrongly branded “Patient Zero.” As airlines began hiring male flight attendants, fear and homophobia converged around Gaëtan Dugas, turning him into a symbol of blame …

  3. The Girlfriends S6/E8: Landing

    49 minSaison 6 · Épisode 8

    The fight reaches its climax as stewardesses race to win support for a new union. With careers and futures on the line, Nell documents the high-stakes vote that will decide it all and the lasting legacy these …

  4. The Girlfriends S6/E7: Which Side Are You On?

    40 minSaison 6 · Épisode 7

    Frustrated with their male-dominated union, a group of stewardesses consider a radical idea: forming their own union. Nell follows secret meetings, whispered alliances, and mounting risks as the women decide …

  5. The Girlfriends S6/E6: What’s at Steak

    43 minSaison 6 · Épisode 6

    As stewardesses push for dignity at work, everyday encounters expose how deeply power and sexism run in the airline industry. From union politics to moments of personal reckoning, Nell traces how one stewardess …

  6. The Girlfriends S6/E5: Wed to the Wings

    45 minSaison 6 · Épisode 5

    In the 1960s, marriage could cost a stewardess her job. As a result, United Airlines flight attendant Celeste Brodigan lives a double life, hiding her husband from management. When the truth is discovered, the …

  7. The Girlfriends S6/E4: Wings of Change

    45 minSaison 6 · Épisode 4

    In 1950s America, airlines refused to hire Black women as stewardesses. When Patricia Banks Edmiston is repeatedly rejected, she refuses to stay silent. By calling in civil rights leaders and taking on Capital …

  8. The Girlfriends S6/E3: The Golden Age

    47 minSaison 6 · Épisode 3

    In the 1960s, stewardesses were forced to retire at 32, no matter their skill or experience. When Patt Gibbs and her colleagues publicly challenge the age rule, they confront a culture that values women only …

  9. The Girlfriends S6/E2: Losing It

    42 minSaison 6 · Épisode 2

    Behind the cocktails and movie stars, stewardesses’ jobs depended on staying under strict weight limits. When Patt Gibbs is suspended for gaining a few pounds, a company doctor hands her diet pills with …

  10. The Girlfriends S6/E1: On Air

    44 minSaison 6 · Épisode 1

    In the golden age of flying, air travel looked glamorous, but for the women working onboard, it was tightly controlled. Nell McShane Wulfhart takes us inside American Airlines’ “Charm Farm” where young …

  11. Introducing The Girlfriends: Flight or Fight

    3 minSaison 6Bande-annonce

    In the golden age of air travel, flying was sold as glamorous, luxurious, and effortlessly chic. But for the young women working the aisles at 30,000 feet, the reality was very different. The Girlfriends …

  12. The Girlfriends S5/Bonus Ep 2: Help! My Bestie’s Dating a Scam Artist

    29 minSaison 5 · Épisode 8Bonus

    Confronting your bestie’s terrible boyfriend about his toxic behaviour can be tempting, but is it always the best course of action? How do you strike a balance between protecting your friend from becoming …

  13. The Girlfriends S5/Bonus Ep 1: Get Back Down Here Off Your High Horse

    29 minSaison 5 · Épisode 7Bonus

    In the years leading up to Derek’s conviction, his victims sometimes came forward to the media about their experiences. But when they did so, the reaction from the public wasn’t always sympathetic. In bonus …

  14. The Girlfriends S5/E6: The Gold Bracelet

    44 minSaison 5 · Épisode 6

    Girlfriends from all over the country finally converge on a house in Texas. And they meet a woman who’s been waiting on answers from Derek Alldred, for decades. If you’re affected by any of the themes in this …

  15. The Girlfriends S5/E5: Don’t Mess With Texas

    33 minSaison 5 · Épisode 5

    Special Agent Mike discovers Dorie isn’t the only woman Derek Alldred’s been seeing in Texas. Will Tracie agree to help the girlfriends bring him down once and for all? If you’re affected by any of the themes …

  16. The Girlfriends S5/E4: Stolen Valor

    31 minSaison 5 · Épisode 4

    Dorie is at home in Texas scrolling through photos on her iPad, when she makes a shocking discovery about the guy she’s been dating. When the truth comes out about who he really is, she resolves to do something …

  17. The Girlfriends S5/E3: The Sting

    35 minSaison 5 · Épisode 3

    Lisa finally touches down in Minnesota, and learns her friends know more than they’ve been letting on about the real identity of her unusual boyfriend. If you’re affected by any of the themes in this show, our …

  18. The Girlfriends S5/E2: The Busted Nut

    36 minSaison 5 · Épisode 2

    Lisa, a hockey loving nurse from St Paul, Minnesota, has just begun dating a new guy who seems to have it all. But her close-knit group of friends have begun to suspect something dodgy is going on. If you’re …

  19. The Girlfriends S5/E1: Shark Bait

    40 minSaison 5 · Épisode 1

    Wendy is a single mom with a busy job, looking for love on Maui, Hawaii. Then, she begins dating a con artist. By accident at first. And then, before long - out of sheer curiosity and with the help of her …

  20. Introducing Season 5 of The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe

    2 minSaison 5Bande-annonce

    When a group of women from all over the country realise they all dated the same prolific romance scammer they vow to bring him to justice. In this brand new season of global number 1 hit podcast, The …

  21. The Girlfriends S4/Bonus Ep 6: How to Put a Spotlight on Your Story

    35 minSaison 4 · Épisode 14Bonus

    Sharing your story, whether that’s on social media or through the news can be pretty daunting. But putting a spotlight on your community is essential to drawing attention to the causes you care about. So in …

  22. The Girlfriends S4/Bonus Ep 5: Sparking A Movement

    26 minSaison 4 · Épisode 13

    Emmet Till’s murder sparked a 70 year movement, in this episode Khadijah speaks to a woman whose family has been fighting to preserve his legacy about what it takes to launch a movement and how you can mobilise …

  23. The Girlfriends S4/Bonus Ep 4: A Girlfriends Guide to Making a Change

    29 minSaison 4 · Épisode 12Bonus

    Roger Golubski’s story exposed decades worth of corruption at the heart of Kansas City Kansas, a systemic failure to hold perpetrators to account. In this episode, we explore how Wyandotte County’s current …

  24. The Girlfriends S4/Bonus Ep 3: A Girlfriends Guide to Navigating Police Misconduct

    35 minSaison 4 · Épisode 11Bonus

    What are your rights if you’re stopped by a police officer? What evidence would you need to build a case if you were a victim of police misconduct? In this episode Nikki dives into the laws and protocols …

  25. The Girlfriends S4/Bonus Ep 1: The Freedom Seekers of Kansas City

    29 minSaison 4 · Épisode 9Bonus

    Quindaro was once home to a stop on the Underground Railroad. In this episode, Nikki traces the long, rich, revolutionary history of Kansas City Kansas through the lens of a freedman who escaped slavery to make …

  26. The Girlfriends S4/Bonus Ep 2: A Girlfriends Guide to Healing in The Aftermath of Trauma

    35 minSaison 4 · Épisode 10Bonus

    We’ve explored how people fight for justice, but how are the women whose lives were affected by Roger Golubski healing the aftermath of their trauma? In this episode, Khadijah and Nikki discuss the power of …

  27. The Girlfriends S4/E8: It Could Have Been Us

    37 minSaison 4 · Épisode 8

    As Nikki and Khadijah start to pick up the pieces, they discover the story is darker than they could have ever imagined. The shocking news takes them back to the very beginning, where they uncover a vital …

  28. The Girlfriends S4/E7: The Reckoning

    34 minSaison 4 · Épisode 7

    It’s December 2nd 2024. After flying under the radar for decades, Detective Roger Golubski has finally been arrested. So the girlfriends drive over to the courthouse for the first day of a trial that will shake …

  29. The Girlfriends S4/E6: What Would You Have Done?

    37 minSaison 4 · Épisode 6

    When Trena Cooper was a child, she had a dream that her mom had been killed by a police officer. 20 years later, she sets out on a mission to get to the bottom of her mothers murder investigation as whispers …

  30. The Girlfriends S4/E5: I Smell A Rat

    36 minSaison 4 · Épisode 5

    As Stacey Quinn’s life goes into a downward spiral, her sister Niko watches on, desperate to save Stacey before it’s too late. But the walls are closing in on her, and it will take a whole sisterhood of women …

Voici les 60 derniers épisodes sur 67. Les épisodes plus anciens se trouvent dans le flux du podcast.

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