Me, My Mom and Dolly Parton

Reflections on the Women’s Movement 9to5

By Jaimie Hutchison, MA, LPC

making phone callsI was fortunate enough to moderate a panel for WKAR Public Media’s event, “9to5: The story of a movement, the working women who organized and inspired change nationwide.” 9to5 The Story of a Movement is a film by Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar. The film showcases the working women’s movement that inspired the lyrics of Dolly Parton’s song and the box office smash film 9to5, starring Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin. The 9to5 movement started with a group of Boston secretaries in the early 1970’s and spread across the nation. Their goals were simple: better pay, more advancement opportunities, job descriptions, benefits, and an end to sexual harassment. The efforts of these women were then replicated all over the country.  9to5 chapters were places where women came together to advocate for themselves and their worth. 

Jaimie and her mom standing on a sidewalk with the capital in the backgroundI got a glimpse of this movement first-hand. Growing up in the 1980’s, I saw my own mother transition from an office worker to an active member of her local union, a grievance representative, union president, and then an International Representative for the United Auto Workers (UAW). 

“I helped organize a union with the UAW in my workplace in 1984 and it changed my life.” -explained Linda Danders (known to me as mom).

I watched my mom find her voice, advocate for others, and work tirelessly to protect worker’s rights. I was deeply impacted by my mom’s transition into an active, engaged, informed community member and I continue to be inspired by her to this day. She is retired, so I am sure you picture her sitting in front of her fire with her cats and her feet up. Yes, there is some of that, and time with her grandchildren, she earned it. She is more often found spending her days at local community events getting petitions signed, phone banking, walking neighborhoods in Michigan, dropping literature across the state, and representing causes that she is passionate about. She marches, she calls, she works tirelessly behind the scenes to support awareness events and rallies, and so much more. She is always there, on the front lines. This movement allowed my mom to find her purpose. Seeing that, allowed me to know that my voice mattered too.

When I first met the panelists of the community conversation, including Kim Cook, one of the original members of 9to5, she put into action some of the most important things we can do to support one another as women. I experienced Kim saying things like, “you should mention that”, and, “we should add the other panelist’s authorship of scholarly articles and books into their bios.” In those ten short minutes, I saw Kim lifting other women up, amplifying their voices and organizing us into a team. She was informed, direct, and looking out for each of us all at the same time.

three generations women of change in one photoThis film and panel were very powerful and very personal to me. It is my goal to continue the work the women and other activists before me started. That is the legacy of my mom, and these committed women who laid the groundwork for so many of the benefits I have today. As I look to my 14-year-old daughter, who has already phone-banked with her grandma and who has created art to support current movements, I do not think this work will end with me. It cannot. Although we have come so far, we have a long way to go. 

At MSU we are celebrating Women’s History Month across campus. There are a number of events and activities available for students, faculty, and staff. Two of which are coordinated by the Women’s Networking Association and the MSU WorkLife Office. I invite you to dive in and continue to learn about the history of the women’s movement and to celebrate the phenomenal women who have paved the way for so many of us.