9 to 5: The Story of a Movement

9 to 5: The Story of a Movement is a feature documentary from 2020 that tells the behind-the-scenes story of a group of women who fought for workplace equality and created a movement that continues to impact the workforce today.

The documentary is directed by Julie Cohen and features interviews with women who were directly involved in the movement, including Rosalinda Aguirre, Verna Barksdale, and Laurie Brown. The three women are particularly remarkable because they were involved in the movement at different times and in different parts of the country, but all shared a commitment to creating a better working environment for women.

The film begins by setting the stage for the movement - we see archival footage of women at work in the 60s and 70s, including scenes of sexual harassment, and we hear from women who describe the pervasive sexism of the time. The first half of the film focuses on the early days of the movement, when women started to gather in small groups to share their experiences and strategize about how to make change happen.

One of the most interesting aspects of the film is how it shows the intersectionality of the movement. We hear from women of different races, ages, and backgrounds, and see how their experiences of discrimination were often different. For example, one woman describes how it was difficult for her to advocate for her own rights when she also had to fight for basic civil rights, while another woman describes how she felt like she had to choose between being a mother and having a career.

As the movement gained momentum, the women involved began to organize bigger events, such as conferences and rallies. The documentary includes footage from these events, along with interviews with women who were there, including Gloria Steinem. We also see how the movement started to have an impact on policy - for example, by pushing for the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which made it illegal to pay women less than men for the same work.

The second half of the film looks at how the movement has evolved since its early days. We see how women's organizations have continued to advocate for workplace rights, and hear from women who are fighting to make changes at their companies today. Importantly, the film also tackles some of the challenges that the movement has faced over the years, including the fact that it has often been seen as a movement for white, middle-class women.

Overall, 9 to 5: The Story of a Movement is a fascinating look at a pivotal moment in women's history. The film is well-paced and engaging, and benefits from the insights of women who were directly involved in the movement. The documentary does a great job of showing the complexity of the issues involved, and makes it clear that although significant progress has been made, there is still a long way to go when it comes to workplace equality.