The sexual objectification of flight attendants in the 1960s

Stewardesses in the ‘60s and ‘70s were treated like runway models, perfectly coiffed and ready to serve

Stewardesses working for Southwest Airlines of Texas wear hot pants and leather boots n 1972. The airline’s motto was “sex sells seats,” and drinks served onboard flights had suggestive names like “Passion Punch” and “Love Potion.” (Alan Band/Keystone/Getty Images)

During the mid-20th century, planes overtook trains as America’s most popular mode of travel. And as businessmen dominated commuter flights, airlines responded by using sex as a marketing tool. Airlines began imposing height, weight and age requirements for their flight crews, and uniforms took a turn for the risqué. Women who got married or pregnant were fired, and those who approached their early thirties were encouraged to retire, or transferred to the ground crew. But when President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law, everything changed.