Yale Needs Women by Anne Gardiner Perkins

Before 1969 there were no women at Yale. This historic first class of 575 women was the top in their class in high school or other colleges and they arrived thinking their college experience would be no different from any other college but they were wrong. They suffered harassment from male students and faculty. There were no locks on the bathroom doors and many of them had to turn down offers of dates or worse from a very lopsided student population. For every freedom, they had in high school or other schools, they now had to earn again. For every social issue, the rest of the world was engaged in - racism, Vietnam War, sexual freedom, these women had to fight harder and yell louder to be heard. They not only survived this test but excelled and went on to become leaders in almost every area after graduating. This is a fascinating look at what it really takes to change a system that has existed for generations. Agreeing to admit some women was just the beginning.