How would you feel if a woman was the funeral director AND embalmer for your funeral? Think about it...does it matter if it's a man or woman? It shouldn't.
In eastern Kentucky, women are still looked down on for many careers. Funeral directing and embalming to be one of them. The older generations don't view women as "equals". Not only that, but also their religious beliefs dictate how they view and see woman. Old Regular Baptist? A woman can't do that job, she should be something "womanly" such as a nurse. I've also seen men criticized for being a nurse and not something labor intensive such as a builder (Although, nursing seems pretty labor intensive at times.). It's a little unsettling that we are still facing this in present time. Someone has to do these jobs.
Who will care for our dead when the older generation funeral directors are dead themselves? Will it matter if then? What if a woman is your only choice?
Women helped start the death care industry. They were called "layers-out-of-the-dead". They would clean and bathe the bodies, dress them, and lay them out for the families. This was a funeral without being known as a funeral. Later on, of course men took the credit (sorry men). Cabinet builders started building caskets which led to them taking on the roll as undertakers.
For a long time the funeral industry has been ruled by men, but women are making their come back. There are now MORE WOMEN in the death care industry than men! How awesome is that!
I spoke with one of the many local (male) funeral directors, W. Meade, who said that women were better funeral directors 10:1 than men.
So why is it so hard to accept women in the industry?
Some of my favorite women in the industry? Check them out!
- Kari Northey - Kari the Mortician (youtube, facebook, instagram)
- Before the Coffin on instagram & Tik Tok
- Hollis Funeral Home on instagram & Tik Tok
- Miranda Hummeldorf (KY Based!) - Miranda the Mortician on Facebook, Tik Tok, & instagram
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