9 to 5: Inside The Movement That Inspired the Iconic Film

The song 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton became a global hit in 1980, reaching the top of music charts and earning an Oscar nomination. It was also the theme song for the comedy film 9 to 5, which starred Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton herself. The film depicted three women working in an office who rebel against their sexist boss, addressing workplace inequality and sexism. The movie was the second highest-grossing film of 1980, behind Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. The song and film highlighted the struggles of working women and became symbols of the fight for gender equality in the workplace. The real-life movement that inspired the film was led by a group of secretaries in Boston, who organized to demand better pay, benefits, and respect.

Karen Nussbaum was a key figure in the real-life movement that inspired the film 9 to 5. Born in a liberal family in Chicago, she became involved in activism during the 1960s, joining protests against the Vietnam War and participating in the 1968 Democratic Convention. After dropping out of college, she traveled to Cuba and later joined protests in support of the Black Panthers. By 1973, she moved to Boston and took a job as a clerk typist at Harvard, where she experienced firsthand the indignities faced by secretaries. Nussbaum co-founded the organization 9to5 to advocate for the rights of working women, focusing on issues like low pay, lack of benefits, and disrespect in the workplace.

In the 1970s, women made up more than half of the workforce, but they faced significant inequalities. Women in clerical jobs earned less than 60% of what men earned in similar roles, and sexism was rampant. For example, an ad for a secretary position in Cleveland sought a "raven-haired dynamo," specifying physical attributes over skills. Women working in offices were often treated as "girls" regardless of their age or experience, and many were denied opportunities for advancement. The organization 9to5 was created to address these issues, focusing on practical concerns like pay equity and respect rather than broader feminist rhetoric.

In 1973, Nussbaum and her colleagues formed 9to5, a grassroots organization dedicated to improving conditions for working women. Unlike earlier feminist groups, 9to5 emphasized activism led by working women themselves, with meetings structured to be purposeful and respectful. The group started by distributing leaflets at public transit stops and publishing a newsletter highlighting workplace injustices. Their first public meeting in November 1973 at the Boston YWCA attracted over 150 women, many of whom had never considered forming a union. The organization grew by focusing on shared concerns about low pay and lack of respect, avoiding divisive language like "feminism."

The 1970s were a period of significant progress for women's rights in the United States. In 1972, Congress passed Title IX of the Higher Education Act, prohibiting sex discrimination in education and leading to increased opportunities for women in sports and academics. The Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 legalized abortion, and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974 allowed women to obtain credit cards and mortgages independently. Despite these advances, working-class women in offices were often left behind. The 9to5 movement aimed to fill this gap by organizing women who were not typically part of the women's liberation movement.