Women of ‘Hidden Figures’ hidden are no more

For years, women have been fighting to be heard in STEM professions, and with the release of “Hidden Figures,” the stories of the women behind the first man in space, Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, are finally being heard.

Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), reviewed the equations ran by computers for the orbital mission of the first man on space, and provided equations for a number of other missions throughout her tenure at NASA (NACA back then) from 1953 to 1986. Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) started in working at NASA in 1943 and retired in 1971. She was the first African-American Manager, the head of the West Area Computing Unit. Jackson (Janelle Monàe) worked from 1951 to 1985 and was NASA’s first African-American engineer. These women all hold the genius that audiences love to watch, but instead of boasting their intellect like Sherlock Holmes, the film centers more on their fight to be recognized for their work.
Sophomore Cassie Pavlovich, who watched the movie with her mother, said they both loved the message of the film and were inspired by the achievements of these hardworking women.

“I like that they showed how the women fought for everything that they were given, that it wasn’t just handed to them,” said Cassie.
For women in STEM today, issues regarding recognition are still prevalent. According to the National Girls Collaborative project, 7.9 percent of mechanical engineers and 10.7 percent of electrical or computer hardware engineers are women.

At West Essex, Ms. Wall runs the STEM club and described part of the struggle for girls in STEM.
When asked whether or not she has been discriminated against in the past, Ms. Wall said, “Oh my god, absolutely. Even as an educator, but as a science educator I was definitely looked down on for the first 10 years of my career.”

Ms. Wall hopes that “Hidden Figures” will inspire students to join STEM careers, especially African-American students.
“I hope this movie changes their perspective on the world,” Ms. Wall said.
This movie made a mark on women, of all races, everywhere. It not only empowered women to enter STEM fields, but uncovered an important part of history that most people did not know about. Before “Hidden Figures,” the stories of these women and the service they made to NASA and the mission of the first man on the moon were hidden themselves.
With the events surrounding women’s rights, this movie highlights the importance of history’s women and the accomplishments they made that had a lasting effect on the world. Keeping the story of Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson in mind, women can take on anything with a little strength and willpower.

“Hidden Figures” took the Screen Actors Guild by surprise when the film took the award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Movie. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, as well as Octavia Spencer’s nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

The movie’s high praise and support only emphasize the validity of the film’s message.