'If She Can See It, She Can Be It' – Barbie Is a Pilot, so Where Are All the Women Pilots?

'If She Can See It, She Can Be It' – Barbie Is a Pilot, so Where Are All the Women Pilots?

Barbie has had many careers – from actor to zookeeper. In the realm of aerospace and aviation, Barbie ‘became’ a flight attendant in 1961 and an astronaut four years after that. However, she did not earn her wings until much later, becoming an US Air Force pilot in 1991 and an airline pilot in 1999. Yet, the first woman to receive a pilot licence was Raymonde de Laroche - in 1910. Why then did it take so long for Barbie to earn her wings?

Today, only 5% of airline pilots globally are women. This number has stubbornly held firm, despite the global aviation industry actively trying to attract more female participants. Airlines and aircraft manufacturers have both argued that the solution to the current global pilot shortage is through attracting more women to the role of pilot. However, an inherently male culture still pervades aviation, so much so, that it seems even Barbie was reluctant to join the flight deck crew. Whilst woman can ‘be’ pilots, are they choosing not to do it?

This chapter explores both the reasons for the delay in Barbie earning her wings and the subsequent influence, or lack thereof, of her role as a pilot on the career aspirations of young girls.

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