The Girlfriends S6/E5: Wed to the Wings

In the 1960s, marriage could cost a stewardess her job. As a result, United Airlines flight attendant Celeste Brodigan lives a double life, hiding her husband from management. When the truth is discovered, the airline begins watching her every move until Celeste stands up for herself and her marria…

The Girlfriends S6/E4: Wings of Change

In 1950s America, airlines refused to hire Black women as stewardesses. When Patricia Banks Edmiston is repeatedly rejected, she refuses to stay silent. By calling in civil rights leaders and taking on Capital Airlines, Patricia launches a landmark discrimination case that reshapes the skies and th…

The Girlfriends S6/E3: The Golden Age

In the 1960s, stewardesses were forced to retire at 32, no matter their skill or experience. When Patt Gibbs and her colleagues publicly challenge the age rule, they confront a culture that values women only while they look young. The fight turns personal when a beloved mentor is quietly pushed asi…

The Girlfriends S6/E2: Losing It

Behind the cocktails and movie stars, stewardesses’ jobs depended on staying under strict weight limits. When Patt Gibbs is suspended for gaining a few pounds, a company doctor hands her diet pills with potentially dangerous consequences. As women push their bodies to extremes, Patt begins to fight…

The Girlfriends S6/E1: On Air

In the golden age of flying, air travel looked glamorous, but for the women working onboard, it was tightly controlled. Nell McShane Wulfhart takes us inside American Airlines’ “Charm Farm” where young stewardesses, like Patt Gibbs, were trained to be thin, obedient, and perfectly groomed. But ever…

Introducing The Girlfriends: Flight or Fight

In the golden age of air travel, flying was sold as glamorous, luxurious, and effortlessly chic. But for the young women working the aisles at 30,000 feet, the reality was very different. The Girlfriends: Flight or Fight tells the story of the stewardesses who refused to be grounded. From secret me…

The Girlfriends S5/Bonus Ep 4: How to Catch a Con-artist

Why did it take law enforcement so long to pay proper attention to Derek Alldred’s pattern of fraud against women all over the country?  In bonus episode four, Anna takes a deep dive into the investigation that finally brought Derek down, and the shortcomings of the many that came before.  In thi…

The Girlfriends S5/Bonus Ep 3: Blazing Lies

When Derek Alldred was finally convicted in 2017, it was far from his first run-in with the law.  In fact, more than a decade earlier, he found himself in the crosshairs of one determined California fire investigator, named Tom Oldag, who suspected him of a very different kind of fraud.  In bonus…

The Girlfriends S5/Bonus Ep 2: Help! My Bestie’s Dating a Scam Artist

Confronting your bestie’s terrible boyfriend about his toxic behaviour can be tempting, but is it always the best course of action? How do you strike a balance between protecting your friend from becoming isolated, and being honest with them about your fears? In bonus episode two, Anna talks to so…

The Girlfriends S5/Bonus Ep 1: Get Back Down Here Off Your High Horse

In the years leading up to Derek’s conviction, his victims sometimes came forward to the media about their experiences.  But when they did so, the reaction from the public wasn’t always sympathetic.  In bonus episode one, Anna takes a closer look at the stigma that surrounds romance fraud with jo…