Omitted, Devalued, Ignored: Reevaluating the Historical Interpretation of Women in the Interior Design Profession

Abstract

This paper seeks to determine whether or not current history of interior design publications are flawed by embedded gender discrimination, thus devaluing the role of women in the develop ment of the interior design profession. In order to reveal the extent to which women's achievements are marginalized, devalued or ignored, five texts that incorporate information on the history of the interior design profession will be analyzed using methods structured in feminist scholarship. According to DuBois et al. (1985), the most common methods by which an author reveals gender discrimination include (1) the omission of women from the narrative, (2) the different value assigned to women's accomplishments as a result of being viewed under masculine criteria, (3) the perpetuation of gender stereotyping, and (4) the language by which the subjects are described. The current literature on the history of the interior design profession is replete with evidence of gender discrimination. Women in the discipline of interior design are presented as being insignificant in the development of the profession. Instead, a masculine narrative of architects identifies a field dominated by women in number, but by men in perceived significance. In order to establish and understand the roots of interior design, the profession must add a feminine perspective on research. This in turn should assist interior design scholars in the development of a theoretical framework that acknowledges and disseminates the contributions of the early decorators. Otherwise, female interior design pioneers will continue to fall into anonymity.