Donna

And it's in my name. I am one of the first women that I know of to get a gold card in my own name. In the early days, if a woman did get a credit card, a man had to co-sign. Women are supposed to know their place and they're supposed to be grateful for the fact that men are taking care of them. But the assumption was that women couldn't possibly pay.

But this is what women of my generation went through. This was the norm. My mother was expected to quit her job. My mother was expected to be a housewife. Legally speaking, she was Mrs. Samuel Halper. She wasn't Samuel. Her name was Beatrice. I knew that wasn't right. Getting the card in my own name really was about was just making sure I have an identity.

But this is what women of my generation went through. This was the norm. My mother was expected to quit her job. My mother was expected to be a housewife. Legally speaking, she was Mrs. Samuel Halper. She wasn't Samuel. Her name was Beatrice. I knew that wasn't right. Getting the card in my own name really was about was just making sure I have an identity.

Making sure my name, because that's who I am, making sure my name is capable of being out there. Does that sound silly?

Making sure my name, because that's who I am, making sure my name is capable of being out there. Does that sound silly?

When I started running my own consulting business in the 1980s, I would take a client out to lunch and the server would give the check to my client. I called the manager over and I said to the manager, no offense, but if I don't exist, how do I leave a tip? Nobody believed that I made enough money and nobody believed that I was like a full-time working person.

When I started running my own consulting business in the 1980s, I would take a client out to lunch and the server would give the check to my client. I called the manager over and I said to the manager, no offense, but if I don't exist, how do I leave a tip? Nobody believed that I made enough money and nobody believed that I was like a full-time working person.

Credit cards had a certain status. In that society, that made a real statement because that was something that only successful businessmen had. And I felt like it would make a statement if I had one.

Credit cards had a certain status. In that society, that made a real statement because that was something that only successful businessmen had. And I felt like it would make a statement if I had one.

So I got in touch with American Express. I wrote letters because back then that's what you did. And I questioned them. Like, you turned me down. How come?

So I got in touch with American Express. I wrote letters because back then that's what you did. And I questioned them. Like, you turned me down. How come?

It was a food festival. Oh.

It was a food festival. Oh.

It was a food festival. Oh.

Oh, he was actually at the beer garden.

Oh, he was actually at the beer garden.

Oh, he was actually at the beer garden.

Know they're of age. Yeah, that's a good point. We were trying to like figure out where to sit down. And so he had a little picnic table and it was just kind of him and her friend. So it was just kind of this nice, like perfect two guys, two gals hanging out at a picnic table kind of thing.

Know they're of age. Yeah, that's a good point. We were trying to like figure out where to sit down. And so he had a little picnic table and it was just kind of him and her friend. So it was just kind of this nice, like perfect two guys, two gals hanging out at a picnic table kind of thing.

Know they're of age. Yeah, that's a good point. We were trying to like figure out where to sit down. And so he had a little picnic table and it was just kind of him and her friend. So it was just kind of this nice, like perfect two guys, two gals hanging out at a picnic table kind of thing.