Weather) Girls Just “Wanna Have Fun”?
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University of Nevada, Reno Do (Weather) Girls Just “Wanna Have Fun”?: A Survey of Broadcast Meteorologist Stereotypes and Experiences A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Geography by Nyssa Perryman Rayne Dr. Paul F. Starrs / Dissertation Advisor December, 2020 NYSSA PERRYMAN RAYNE December, 2020 i ABSTRACT The historical caricature of the “weather girl” comes from the original women (primarily actresses and entertainers) who broke into the field of broadcast meteorology in the mid-1950s, with little in the way of educational or experiential background in me- teorology or climatology. Instead, these women were hired to increase station ratings as a gimmick, and, as a result, cemented the ditzy, blonde, sexy, often unintelligent “weather girl” stereotype that persists in the field today. This dissertation delves into the historical context of the “weather girl” stereotype, exploring the present-day ramifications of this cultural caricature through an analysis of popular media, in addition to two distinct sur- veys of current broadcast meteorologists. Our research finds that movies and TV shows further reinforce the negative attributes of the “weather girl” stereotype, portraying these women as unintelligent and overtly sexualized, and thus adding to the sexism and per- ceived lack of trust and credibility more generally afforded women in our patriarchal so- ciety. Additionally, our survey findings show that the “weather girl” stereotype serves as a negative lens through which women and men weathercasters still view women broad- cast meteorologists, further driving deep-set weathercaster beliefs that women unfairly “get ahead” in the field by using their beauty rather than their brains. This sexist view not only shapes the perception of weathercasters, but also contributes to significantly more critical, negative feedback and harassment—most of which references attributes of the “weather girl” stereotype—for women broadcast meteorologists from viewers and station management alike. Finally, our survey of Black women weathercasters indicates that the “weather girl” stereotype is nuanced and perceived differently by women from different ii race/ethnicities. In part, this difference in perception is rooted to the idea—held by women of all race/ethnicities—that the “weather girl” is a white woman, with blonde hair and/or blue eyes, a nuance that emerges from the responses of Black women weather- casters in particular; however, additional data are needed to definitively determine if (and how) the “weather girl” stereotype impacts Black and Latina women weathercasters. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I want to thank my forever-love, my inspiraaaaation, my moon and stars, Sandra, without whom this dissertation wouldn’t have been possible. Thanks for teaching me to “NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER SURRENDER,” even after 11 years (lolsob). I love you more than ALL the words in this document could ever express. I also couldn’t have done this dissertation without the unwavering support of my legend- ary advisor, Dr. Paul F. Starrs. Words can’t express how much you mean to me, and how lucky I am to have experienced your amazing mentorship! Thank you so much for carry- ing me over the finish line (kicking and screaming and crying lol). To my committee — Dr. Tamara Wall, Dr. KJ Ormerod, Dr. Adam Kirn, Dr. Doug Boyle, and Dr. Stephanie McAfee: thanks for your continual patience during these “unprecedented times” – I seri- ously appreciate each and every one of you so much. Thanks also to my kids — Marshall, Luke, Eleven, and Casandra (without whom I proba- bly would have finished much sooner – but seriously, sorry for all the nights Big Mama had to work), my parents (for supporting me, even in disbelief towards the end), my Ma- dre Ellen (a.k.a. the family matriarch), and my wonderful, loving Swindles (Mike, Mckenzie, and Michele – y’all are the BEST). Also, thank you to Montana (soon to be Dr. Eck), as well as Dr. Dianna Francisco + Dan for prepping with me, and Anya + Alexis, for getting me the mental health tools I desperately needed to finish. There are so, so many other people that helped me get to this point – you know who you are and I’m so grateful for your love and support. I’m also super thankful for SOFITUKKER and the iv FreakFam for providing a daily phenomenal dissertation-writing soundtrack + dance party during the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, I would be remiss not to thank each and every participant in both of my studies – thank you so much for everything you do, from keeping us safe to educating us on weather and climate, even while being trolled constantly by your audience. Thank you for sharing your experiences, even the horrific truths, and trusting me with your stories. This dissertation would not be possible without each one of you! And as I write this, I’m not even sure I’ll actually be able to defend and submit it – but, if by the faith of my Grandma Lorane I do, I want to give one final shout-out to Black woman in STEM. I dedicate this dissertation to YOU! Let this be a sign that you’re doing great and you belong here (AND don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.) v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................. v LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... x Chapter 1: Introduction .................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Overview and Objectives .............................................................................................. 1 1.2 Overview and Origin of the “Weather Girl” Stereotype ............................................... 2 1.4 #NotAWeatherGirl: Ongoing Controversies in the Weathercasting Field .................... 4 1.5 Research Purpose, Questions, and Hypotheses ............................................................. 5 References .......................................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 2: “Weather Girls” on the Big Screen: Stereotypes, Sex Appeal, and Science .............................................................................................................................. 11 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 12 2.2 A Brief History of Women in Broadcast Meteorology ............................................... 13 2.3 Methods ....................................................................................................................... 19 2.4 Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 21 2.5 Discussion and Conclusions ........................................................................................ 30 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................... 33 References ......................................................................................................................... 34 vi Chapter 3: You Go, (Weather) Girl! -or- #Notaweathergirl: Understanding Weathercaster Perception of the “Weather Girl” Stereotype ..................................... 39 Abstract .............................................................................................................................. 40 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 41 3.2 Literature and Media Review ...................................................................................... 41 3.3 Methods ....................................................................................................................... 51 3.4 Results and Analysis .................................................................................................... 57 3.5 Summary and Conclusions .......................................................................................... 91 References ......................................................................................................................... 94 Chapter 4: “Weather Girls” and Whiteness: A Qualitative Survey Analysis ......... 100 4.1 Introduction and Background .................................................................................... 101 4.2 Methodology .............................................................................................................. 112 4.3 Results and Discussion .............................................................................................. 119 4.4 Summary and Conclusions ........................................................................................ 136 References ....................................................................................................................... 140 Chapter 5: Summary and Conclusions .......................................................................