In the late 1980s, Bridge Gorrow was training to become a flight attendant for a major airline when she started to feel that something was not quite right.
On top of being weighed weekly, Gorrow and the other female trainees in the same program were told what colors of makeup they were allowed wear, and if they wanted to smoke, they were only allowed to do so in uniform while sitting down—male trainees were allowed to stand.
“Once you start paying attention to [the inequalities], it’s impossible to not notice them,” Gorrow said.
Gorrow knows that despite the many strides that have been made in the women’s movement in the past years, sexism is far from a thing of the past.
“Even now when men and women are matched in both job experience and education, women are paid less,” said Gorrow. “There has been a lot of progress, but a lot of it is lip service.”
Fortunately for PSU, Gorrow decided she no longer wanted to be a flight attendant after all–even after she got to hang out with Hulk Hogan and some friends while staying at a hotel during her flight training–and moved to Portland in 1996, working at the People’s Food Co-Op until 2000.
Gorrow, who recently earned the position of Coordinator of the Women’s Resource Center after being interim coordinator for just over a year, has a history of working compassionately and supporting students when they need guidance.
“It can be sad work to do,” Gorrow said, as she sometimes deals with victims of sexual assault and other violent acts, “but it helps create a good balance.”
Returning to Portland State six years ago as part of the Returning Women Students program, Gorrow believes that it was her decision to go back to school that truly activated her as a feminist.
The recipient of both the University Service Award and the Student Employee of the Year Award, Gorrow attributes her success to the great mentoring and support that she herself received, and is now passing those gifts on everyday as a part of her job.
“She’s the first boss I’ve had in 11 years that doesn’t scare me,” said Blythe Pavlik, interim events coordinator at the WRC.
“She’s warm, she’s funny and sometimes off the wall,” Pavlik added with an enthusiasm that most people don’t often hold for their superiors. “Everyone feels comfortable knocking at her door.”
Comfortable is a modest description when it comes to the warm smile and genuineness that are immediately noticeable just from a casual conversation with Gorrow, and it is apparent in the way students and employees describe her as “supportive, compassionate and giving.”
Gorrow, who has a 16-year-old daughter of her own named Kate and a 7-year-old stepdaughter named Josephine, grew up in Buffalo, NY. Throughout her childhood, Gorrow said she was raised to follow very traditional gender roles from the time she was very young.
“You’re either the one watching football, or the one serving the snacks,” she said, reminiscing on her early childhood memories.
Gorrow believes that improving communication should be a priority at Portland State.
“We spend so much energy just finding ways to disseminate information so that it reaches all students in a meaningful way. It would be great if there were a way to streamline that effort in such a large university.”
Gorrow said she also thinks it would be great to see increased turnout for campus events and student government elections, and added that the Women’s Resource Center is a great place to start getting connected.
“We have so many different kinds of opportunities, from just hanging out in our lounge to directing the Vagina Monologues, everyone can find some way to get plugged in,” said Gorrow. “Students who volunteer here get great professional and personal development opportunities. All they need to do is visit our Web site to learn more, sign up for our list serve or fill out a volunteer application.”
When beginning to list the myriad number of tasks her job often entails, Gorrow said that she often oversees the budget, writes reports, supervises the staff, works on student leadership initiatives, develops policies and procedures, plans retreats and answers questions. And last but not least?
“Laugh.”