Throughout history, people of color have been oppressed and subjected to harsh treatment, such as slavery and segregation. The movie, Hidden Figures, explores the ideology of race and sexism in 1961, where people of color and women struggled to be seen as equal. The film is about gifted African American women named Dorothy, Mary, and Katherine, who is known as the “computers” at NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), a white-based company. By calling these women “computers” demonstrates the fact that they only see them as objects that are only used for their intelligence rather than see them as real people. However, since these African American women were doing as much work as white males, they should have been seen as equals because of how much effort and time they put into their work.
Additionally, there are few women working at NASA which shows male dominance during this period. Males were still seen as superior during this time so there were few women seen working at powerful companies or at higher ranking jobs. However, during this time, women should have been seen as equal because not only did the women who worked there work really hard but they were essentially the backbone of the company. As a result, these women were kept in a different department of the Langley Research Center called the West Area Computing division. They were not allowed in the same area as their male coworkers because of how controversial their race and gender would reflect the administration. However, they should have been able to work in the same area and have the same resources due to the fact that they worked as hard as their male co-workers. They should have not been discriminated against or segregated from their other co-workers because of how they were born.
Also, there is a scene where Katherine pours herself a pot of coffee while the men stare at her. The next day, there is a second coffee pot labelled “colored”. Not only did the white males treat her as an object for their advantage, but they also treated her as something different, essentially something that does not deserve the same privileges as them. However, by doing the same work and having the same priorities does actually entitle her to the same opportunities as everyone else. Her race should not play a factor in her privileges.
Although Dorothy, May, and Katherine played a big part in the success of sending the first American astronaut into orbit, they did not receive the credit they deserved. They were overshadowed by the white males on the mission. Although they were not given the same opportunities as the white males, they put in the same work and effort as them which should have given them equal credit as the males. The movie does an excellent job of pointing out the disadvantages that race and gender gave them due to the ideologies of the period. Therefore, it is good to know that these women were finally acknowledged and were appreciated once their story came out to inspire many to come.
