If you are a long time NPR listener, you may know Cokie Roberts's mother, Lindy Boggs, was the person who fixed this problem.

O m g. I had no idea. Don’t give them any more ideas on how to regress. And thank you Lindy Boggs!

Don’tt forget RBG

https://time.com/nextadvisor/credit-cards/ruth-bader-ginsburg-credit-card-legacy/amp/

I had Bon Marche’ credit card in 1972 when I married. I contacted them to let them know I was changing my last name to my new husband’s. They insisted the card had to now be in HIS name instead of mine!! I pitched a fit and told them I’d cancel before I did that. They left it in my name.

How did you have one in 72 @olychick? Did your father sign for you?

Oh yeah....now I don't remember all the details, whether I was trying to pay with a check or in cash (1977 and I'm sure we didn't have a credit or debit card then), but I went to a store to buy a clothes washer and dryer, and the salesman would not sell it to me without my husband there!!!

Had a similar incident in 1988: went to look at a new build condo, was asking the salesman about the financing options that they were offering, and was told to come back with my (non-existent at that point) husband.

Wow. I was a kid, but remember reading about that when old enough to understand. I was stunned. I wish I could talk about this with my mother, I’d love to hear her thoughts on everything. She was 25 in 1974.

Thanks for sharing this, Maddie. Certainly something to be reminded of.

Maddie, that’s the nicest thing to hear…. I got choked up. Thank you so very much. ❤️

I remember a friend who married her husband in the early to mid-80s. She had established credit, including paying off a car loan. When they married, her credit rating became non-existent. She had to start over building it back.

I was 26yrs. old, had a full time job since age 18yr. When I went to the bank to buy my uncle's house (for a grand total of $18,000 in 1978), my dad had to come along. The banker hesitated to give me the loan. His words, in effect, were: "Now I know you might get upset when I tell you I may not be able to give a young woman like you a loan for a house, but......" I forget the rest, because I sighed and pulled a face. I was 26yrs. old! Yeah, acted like 14yr. lol.

Anyway, I didn't find out until a couple weeks later when my uncle's executor came to our house and threw the keys in my lap, that the bank had decided to loan me the money, however my dad had to co-sign. Again - I was 26yrs. old.

No problem that I can remember about getting a credit card from the bank.

Olychick, The Bon did the same to me in 1971. I didn't know enough to argue with them. That same account since 1971:

A few years ago the store pulled it. I'd gone in to buy an overnight bag and my card was cancelled. It had been too many months since I'd used it. I refused to apply for a new one as a more than 40+ years customer, and if I do want something from 'Macy's' (usually online) I use Mastercard or more often PayPal.

In '74 I was in college but 2 years later I was getting married and it was my mother who insisted I get a credit card in my name NOW. Thanks mom.

No father to cosign Maddielee. I must have applied to purchase something on credit at some point. I know I’d had the card for several years at that point and was also buying a car that probably was paid off by then.

Also, 1974 ish.

I was shopping at the mall, when a young girl with clip board asked me to sign up for a Macy’s charge card. I was in college but had a part- time job. I told her this! She said that it help her if I applied. I wound up getting the card!

Editing so the details don't live on indefinitely, but main point was that gender discrimination still occurs in the mortgage industry.

{{{{{{{{{Jinx}}}}}}}}}}}

This talk reminds me of the adage 'We've come along way baby' but that was the 60's and we really hadn't! I suppose it's regional but I had no trouble getting credit cards in high school on the strength of my employment, GPA etc. I had no trouble getting hired at Shakey's pizza in Fargo ND as the first female pizza cook--not waitress. These issues have never been a part of my life. People tend to respond as I need them to when faced with my determination is my experience. We were fighting for the ERA when I was in high school. That never passed, something to think about when deciding what deserves fighting for. There are all sorts of people in the world. To point fingers at an institution because ONE BAD APPLE gets in your way or does something stupid is just plain lazy. Often it pays to ask to speak the the person in charge and not take the crap from the least paid person in the place.

Z ❤️

Feathers, I’m sorry you had to deal with that, especially during such a stressful time otherwise.

Remember Tracy Thurman? "In 1983, in broad daylight and in the back yard of the house where she was living, Tracey Thurman's estranged husband stabbed her 13 times and broke her neck. The attack lasted 27 minutes, in full view of witnesses. The Torrington, Conn., policeman who responded to the emergency call did nothing to stop Buck Thurman's rage. So a partially paralyzed Tracey Thurman sued the police force, alleging negligence and violation of her constitutional rights. She won in what is now a landmark case." Source: WaPo

It was in the 70s that efforts from the women's movement pushed police to actually start enforcing the law when it came to domestic violence. Before that, it was considered a personal matter. And spousal rape wasn't even a thing.

Not exactly the same, but we’re in the process of buying a lake house. It’s fairly rural which I’m guessing plays into this. Because he’s been so busy, my DH hasn’t seen the house. I’m the only one who’s been there. I’m the only one who has had any dealings with any of the people involved, but I’ve been including his name on all paperwork.

As soon as they get his name and contact information, they start trying to deal with him instead of me. I’m the one you want. I’m the one who‘s steering the ship. But sure, delay the process by emailing my DH instead of me. It’s very bizarre.

I honestly can’t recall exactly when it was but I was so proud to get a store credit card in my name only. It was from Parisian, now bought by Belk, in the mid70’s i think. Still have it although i seldom use it as I don’t like Belk’s merchandise.

Jinx I am also your Mother’s age, a year older, and yes, she would be so proud of you. You remind me of my own free-spirit, funny daughter.

You sweet women have made my week. Thank you, Outside. I wish I could give you all big hugs! ❤️

I think I missed Jinx's story....

I was amazed when we went to buy DH's latest tractor how much the salesman included me in the convo...smart guy...he realized that it was a joint decision and to leave me out of it would've been a big mistake.

After thinking about it, we didn’t have any ‘bank type’ credit cards until probably the late 70s or 80s. Everything was paid for in cash or by check.

I think our first cards were probably Shell gas. Then came AmEx.

Wow, it's crazy how much of that blatantly misogynistic financial garbage I forgot. And that it still goes on in some places.

I worked at a nice department store in the late 70s when I got their store card. My Mom's divorced friend was the manager and was TOUGH. I was just 18 with no credit, looking back I suspect she bulldozed the application through. I think the credit limit was minuscule, but still, it was a start. Thanks, Mrs. Stein!

Jinx - You're the best!

As I read through this, I recalled another incident from the mid 1990s (which still seems fairly recent to me LOL): I needed new windows for my house. I had paid cash for it, has the cash to pay for the window replacement also. I called one of the major window brands (starts with a P) for an estimate, and the person on the phone flatly refused because I would not have a spouse present.

I still experience rip off attempts at places like car maintenance and repair, the car dealer when I bought my new car, and home repair, but who knows if that is targeting a gray-haired older female, or just the generalized dishonesty that seems to be more frequently preying upon a less knowledgeable population.

In 1984, we were buying our first home. They said they couldn't confirm my employer, I worked for Sears, so they took me OFF the title, said I could file a quit-claim deed after the closing to put MY name on the home. DH & I refused to use them if both our names weren't on the property.

I married in 1972, at the age of 20. My husband was considered my guardian until I reached my 21st birthday.

Someone on my route home from work has a campaign flag on display that says 'Taking America Back'. I was thinking about that on Friday afternoon - yeah right - back to when, exactly...?

I think I've told this story before but its apt. In the mid 2000s, I wanted to purchase life insurance. I already had some policies through a former employer so I called that firm. I told him how much coverage I wanted, and he replied "we can't do that." I asked why and he said "you can't insure a risk you don't have, you can only insure based in your income." He simply assumed that I could not possibly have the level of income that I did.

Well, you can't spend a commission you never get, either, buddy. I didn't bother proving my income to him, just went elsewhere.

It's an attitude thing and I don't know if it can be changed but it can be made illegal in a business setting. My 90 year old father still insists that my husband is always influencing me and that he calls the shots. Nothing could be farther from the truth, but even with concrete actual evidence that things were my decision, my father insists I am just covering up for him. Having lived single for 39 years before I married, I was not about to lose my agency at 58. I would not have married hubs if that was going to be the case. And my late mother was very independent, but my father knows nothing of her actual life, and still claims it was all him. He thinks it was all him because he paid zero attention to any of her business.

On the plus side, Dad always was cool about mom working and anything she would have to do extra for work (travel, etc.) or hanging with her friends or community work. Some men would have made that an issue. Also, my brother and I were old enough when she went back to work that we were easy to teach to take care of ourselves. Contrary to some complaints, I don't think kids having mom gone for a couple of hours after school is a problem, that's the perfect time for them to learn household chores and meal prep. Now, in my case I wasn't exactly a "latchkey kid" because both mom and dad and my grandmother were ten minutes away where they worked and lived. And in all cases I could call if I had any questions or concerns too.

And yet, now that I am 62, my father insists that I shouldn't drive and go places by myself. I get the safety concerns, but I had to learn to manage that 40 years ago living on my own, so if I feel safe doing something, I'm not being fooldhardy. The age of cell phones makes it a lot easier to call for backup.

'Taking America Back'. I was thinking about that on Friday afternoon - yeah right - back to when, exactly...?

It looks like pre-FDR is the plan, though I feel like we are re-litigating the Civil War.

I know the question was rhetorical, but pre-FDR is what several con law profs are saying.

Oddly enough, i remember my mother opening mail from Macy's sometime in the early 1960s, which was addressed to her, offering her a credit card. Her response was, ”Bah, who needs a credit card.” While my mother did work, neither she nor my father had any real substantial income, but cash was the only payment method considered. No checking account, so rent was paid by getting a money order from the post office or bank, or paying cash in the rental office.

In high school, I worked at Bamberger’s (dept store that became a Macy’s years later). In order to get your employee discount, everything had to charged to your Bamberger’s credit card. So I had a credit card in my name at the age of 17 (1976). When I left that job a year later I kept the card, but no longer received the discount ☹️. After reading the stories here it was radical that a high school senior had a credit card in her own named based on so few working hours and minimum wage. Thanks Bamberger’s!

OMG, was that in .the Montgomery Mall? LOL

My store was in the brand new Lehigh Valley Mall. I managed to get into a school program that had me in school in the mornings and then working in the afternoons. The only reason I applied at the store was because my boyfriend was applying for a job so I thought what the heck, I will, too. He wasn’t hired 😆.

Awww, misty water colored memories.

ahh, I have heard of that but cant recall where it is anymore. MM was my first mall I recall as a kid.

This is a bit off topic, but I was turned down for a job in the late 60's because, "While I'd really like to hire you, you're married and will probably become pregnant." I still can't believe that happened and that I was too meek to call him on it.

Jab, I once worked for an employer who expressed that concern, as well. I also worked for a temp agency in the mid-90s when I was between jobs. A team of 2 women and 3 men, all hired by the same agency, were creating work flowcharts for a major bank. One day, we got to talking, and it turns out the men were earning a higher wage than the women, for the same work. I got up and walked out. It was unfortunate because I had some really interesting, fun, diverse jobs through the agency, but to find out about the pay discrimination was a deal breaker.

eta, Jab, I did not intend to compare my reaction to yours. The 60s was a vastly different decade in which to be an employed female, than the 90s. I'm sorry you experienced that rejection.

Not only do I remember these things for my mother and myself, but when DH and I worked for the same company for a few years, in a review my boss told me my bonus was "pizza money" and he'd like to give me more but my husband got more. Ironic. I would have sued his ass, except my husband also worked there. We both left not too long after -- but not before things got worse from even higher up.

Most of the real estate agents in Los Angeles are women, and they are the only ones I've dealt with here, and all of the loan officers at the banks I've dealt with have been women. I had a gay male real estate agent in Palm Springs, which is normal for there.

Maybe things are different in California. After all, we have Nancy Pelosi and Diane Feinstein.

In 1974 (or 1975) my sister took a job in Fayetteville, Arkansas as a law professor at the University of Arkansas, but she quit that job after one or two years because of the prejudices she encountered in the university law department. They made it clear that they did not like having a female law professor.

Neither of our parents ever had credit cards - they paid for everything with checks or cash. My father did buy additional land after he got his inheritance, and so he did have a mortgage for a while, but he already owned land from inheritance before that.

Similar experience, jab65: I had been working for the hospital for 4+ years already, as I went through school, but when the Director of Nursing interviewed me for my application for a job as an RN, she asked me how I intended prevent pregnancy. I was startled, but did answer; I suppose my answer was satisfactory since she did hire me. This was in 1977.

When I was pregnant with my first, I was the only female professional in my large department. The other women were clerks or secretaries. I didn't show, so I didn't let my boss know I was pregnant until the only bachelor in the department thought it would be good for me to tell my boss. He was the only one who suspected that I was pregnant. None of the married men had any inkling. So I told my boss, and he was very upset because he had just fired one of the clerks who was 6 months pregnant. I had to bring a note from my obstetrician stating that I would not fall off a chair or otherwise be unbalanced by my pregnancy. I did work until the end, taking the last two weeks before i gave birth as my vacation.

Same thing happened to me as to Oly. I had two credit cards before I married and when I married in 1967 and sent my name change in they put the cards in my husband's name. My husband was in still in college at the time and I was done and the one supporting us. Not very long after that, happened , probably about a year, I got a letter asking if I wanted those cards reported in my name as well.

Hard to believe as I think about it now.

Three years ago (that’s 3, not 33) I was in another state and my ATM card wasn’t working. I called the bank, and the clerk (a woman) said it was because I was in another state. Okay, that’s happened before, so I said yup, it’s me out here in Arizona, so you can go ahead and remove the hold on the card. The card was for a JOINT account with DH. She said, I need to talk to your husband. Huh? Well, he’s not here. Wait, you’re traveling without your husband? Uh, yes. Well, I still need to speak to him. Long story short, I had to call DH to get him to call the bank to give me permission to use my ATM card. I still don’t understand it.

Sueb that would have set my hair on fire. It sounds to me like they were protecting him from a run-away wife. You can't take all *his* money if you are in another state but if you want to withdraw it all at home, no one would blink. Wonder if that works in reverse. Send your DH out of state and test that out!