EOTO Technology: The Typewriter and the Working Woman

Christopher Latham Sholes first developed the idea of the typewriter in 1867, but it wouldn't be until 1874 that the original typewriter would hit the market. Sholes partnered with E. Remington and Sons to manufacture the first typewriter, the Remington. The first model lacked a shift-key mechanism and was therefore only able to type capital letters. By 1878, the typewriter had developed to include a shift-key function and was able to type capital and lowercase letters as a result. Certain features of the original typewriters are seen in more modern technology. The keyboard of the first typewriters had the characters arranged in a nearly identical way to how they are positioned on our modern laptops and computers.

To many of us today, the typewriter may seem like an outdated and useless device. While the typewriter is no longer used in everyday life, it has had a profound impact on communications' culture. The advent of the typewriter led to an overall rise of professionalism. The typewriter led to a standard communication system; typed papers were far easier to read than those written in various penmanships. As a result, there was an increase in document legibility. The typewriter also increased the efficiency of writing; typing was faster and appeared more professional than handwriting.

Additionally, the typewriter led to a rise in administrative work. The ability to type became a trained skill and a professional commodity. As a result, more women entered the workforce as assistants and secretaries. In one sense this was a step in the right direction. The typewriter gave women an opportunity to work without the pressures of manual labor or factory work; women were able to work alongside men in a professional setting. Secretaries became common in the workplace and were especially valued for the number of the words that they could type a minute. However, secretaries were also valued for something other than their typing ability.

Women who took on administrative roles were typically seen as objects of desire who were valued for their sexuality. Secretaries were frequently painted as sexy women who had semi-romantic relationships with their bosses. I have personally seen several older films in which the secretary was depicted as nothing more than a typewriter with legs. The idea of the "office wife" began to emerge in American culture. Secretaries were seen as office wives meant to serve their office husbands and cater to their every need. This reinforced the subservient image of women throughout society.

Background on the Typewriter


More Information on the Typewriter and Professionalism

Details on the Typewriter's Connection to Gender

An In-depth Look at Women in the Workplace