Susan Keil: Electrical Safety Engineer
By: Kassie Garrison

On June 7, I went to Evansvile, Indiana to speak with an electrical engineer working for the Whirlpool Corporation. I met Susan Keil in her cubicle. She shook my hand firmly before she led me briskly through a winding path of office space and into a private conference room for our interview. It wasn't until sitting in that wood-paneled room that I was able to really look at her. Her dress was business casual and her self-assured manner made her more beautiful than she already was.
Susan first attended Indiana University, receiving an education degree. After teaching for a couple of years, she went back to school and received a degree in Electrical Engineering, which led her to her current job working for Whirlpool-- a place she has now worked for 26 years.
When getting her second degree, Susan recalls that she was one of the very few women in the engineering program. However, when I asked her if she found it difficult being a minority in that sense, she said that her age was a bigger challenge than her gender (being that she was in her late 20s and starting a family at the same time). She made it through the program and entered the workforce, again with few females in her surroundingd. I asked her what differences she noticed between the men and women in her workplace. She began her answer by pointing out that things have changed alot. There are now more women coming into her career field and likewise being hired by the company she works for. Looking back though, she remembers that there was a time when there was a certain level of mistrust towards female employees. Men did not expect women to work and, when women did, it was expected that they would leave their positions after a few years to stay home and start families. Susan and her husband agreed early on that, to maintain their careers and their 6 children, they had to hire a nanny. She recalls that "it was somewhat difficult trying to be taken seriously when everyone else thought you were likely to quit at any moment."
I wondered if there was a sense of camaraderie among the men at the corporation and whether she felt excluded from that. She made it clear that in no way were men on one side of the room and women on the other. Rather, she said that friendships "develop more over our common interests." For example, the electrical engineers work in close proximity to each other and have developed many working relationships within them. She went on to say that male engineers have certain common interests that most women, engineer included, just don't have. "Two men may get together and talk about cars or speed boats, whereas I really have nothing to offer in that conversation." And when I asked her if that meant she was treated differently by male co-workers, she told me the man from companies overseas are much less accepting of the concept of a woman in her position while she found U.S. men to be much more open. She said "I think they are more respectful to me because I am a woman. But I have been here al long, if not longer, than most of them and have worked my way up to a position of respect in the company." I wanted to know if she had ever felt she had missed out because she wasn't a part of that male to male friendship. She took a moment and said, " I definitely think there is a glass ceiling, still even. It's harder to be heard."
I asked how other women reacted to Susan when they discovered her profession. Susan said, "most are surprised, and often impressed, I think." I added that they should be impressed, as I was. Susan responded, "Oh, I just think it's something I had an aptitude for. When you're good at something and you enjoy it, you are bound to be successful at it. Everyone has their aptitudes."

Questions about body image:

How do you feel about Barbie dolls? Did you have them when you were growing up?
"I hated Barbie. I was the boy out of my sisters and I. I loved to play with trucks and make things and build things. I think Barbie creates such a narrow image. I never bought my children Barbies."

Do you think that Barbie's representation of beauty is realistic?
"Of course not, but issues with body images aren't going away. We subscribe to it."

What is your least favorite part of your body?
"My thighs."

What is your favorite part of your body?
"My hair. Because, at 57, I'm still fortunate enough to be able to have it long."

What is beautiful?
"Anything?.. well things in nature I think are beautiful: smells, colors, flowers, mountains. I think certain pieces of art are beautiful. I really admire the inspiration and creativity behind them... I don't think perfection is, because that's not real. I have friends who I think are gorgeous, but when you tell them that they say 'oh, but look here', or 'but I've got these marks and these things.' And you think how differently she must see herself. But in any person, it's not just the outward appearance. It's that, it's the personality, it's everything."

Do you fell beautiful?

"Well, I don't feel ugly. I guess I feel acceptably attractive which at my age is good I think. I don't think anyone can really say that they feel beautiful."