Educational Media Reviews Online

Through the eyes of women who broke barriers in the field of communication research, Out of the Question: Women, Media, and the Art of Inquiry uncovers an inspiring battle for gender equality.

Five pioneering researchers of the World War II era – Thelma Ehrlich Anderson, Joan Doris Goldhammer, Gladys Engel Lang, Thelma Herman McCormack, and Yole Granata Sills – share how they navigated a male-dominated profession and gradually launched their careers. Their upbringing during the Depression cultivated a work ethic and intellectual curiosity that helped them land jobs with leading sociologists – Paul Lazarsfeld, Robert K. Merton, and C. Wright Mills – and wartime media outlets – the Office of War Information and Voice of America.

Against a nostalgic backdrop of historical photographs and archival footage, the interviewees speak candidly about their workplace experiences, imparting wisdom that transcends time and place. The narrator effectively weaves their stories together, fitting them seamlessly into the film’s chronological arrangement.

In 2011, Out of the Question won the Platinum Remi Award at the Worldfest-Houston International Film and Video Festival. In 2010, it earned a Chris Awards honorable mention at the Columbia International Film and Video Festival.

Highly recommended for academic and public libraries, Out of the Question is an excellent discussion prompt and teaching tool for courses in communication, mass media, sociology, and women’s studies. The film’s website provides interview transcripts, additional information about the women profiled in the film, and resources on the history of women in media research.