Women in the industry: Firing stills as well as any man
Throughout World War II, The Oil Weekly kept a close watch on the oil industry’s aggregate lack of manpower. It became an increasingly dire problem, as many oilfield workers were lost to the war effort.
In the Sept. 6, 1943, issue of The Oil Weekly, Standard Oil Company of California was featured as one of the first companies to hire women to fill vacant positions, despite the reluctance of many.
While a few adjustments were made to accommodate female workers in the field, Standard Oil’s public relations manager explained that women could be hired for most work that did not require special technical skill, long years of training, or heavy lifting beyond the legal limits. A photo caption within the article reads: “She is not quite five feet tall and can fire a still as well as any man.”
The natural gas department was cited as the first division to hire women in the field, which made up 10% of the workers in that department. This was a percentage that was growing exponentially, and their success made it clear that female workers in the oil industry were here to stay.
The article states, “Prejudice against a thing because it has never been done is, after all, no real argument. The Army is the best example to be found of facts disproving prejudice. A very short while ago, if anyone had even mentioned that women would be a part of the United States Army, he would have been ridiculed or considered a dreamer to say the least. And yet, women are a part of the Army—with the same privileges and responsibilities as men.” 
