Jane Goodall, 91, on being objectified early in her career: 'If my legs were getting me the money, thank you legs'

Business Insider

22-05-2025

Jane Goodall, 91, may be one of the world's leading primatologists now, but there was a time when she wasn't being taken seriously.
During an appearance on Tuesday's " Call Her Daddy" podcast, Goodall reflected on the challenges she faced in her decadeslong career.
Goodall told podcast host Alex Cooper that her love for animals started when she read "Tarzan of the Apes" as a child.
"Anyway, I knew there wasn't a Tarzan. But that's when my dream began," Goodall said. "I will grow up, go to Africa, live with wild animals, and write books — no thought of being a scientist."
Most people around her thought her dream was unrealistic, except her mother, she said.
"And everybody said, 'That's ridiculous. I mean, you don't have money. Africa's far away and you're just a girl,'" Goodall said.
Years later, Goodall appeared on the cover of National Geographic.
She recalled being objectified by others in the scientific community who said that her looks, not her research, earned her the spotlight.
"Well, some of the jealous male scientists would say, well, you know, she's just got this notoriety and she's getting money from Geographic, and they want her on the cover, and they wouldn't put her on the cover if she didn't have nice legs," Goodall said.
If someone had said that today, they'd be sued, she added.
"Back then, all I wanted was to get back to the chimps. So if my legs were getting me the money, thank you legs. And if you look at those covers, they were jolly nice legs," Goodall said.
The English conservationist acknowledged that things are different now.
"I did it by accepting that, in a way, they were right. So, thank you for giving me this advantage. It was good to give me that money," Goodall said. "I know that for me it was a long time ago. It was a different era. It wouldn't work today. "
While Goodall's experience may have unfolded years ago, gender inequality persists in the workplace.
Sexism at work comes in many forms, including wage disparities, stereotypes, and harassment.
Several female celebrities have also spoken up about the discrimination they faced in Hollywood.
In an interview with Porter magazine in November 2023, Anne Hathaway said she was told her career would "fall off a cliff" after she turned 35.
In January 2024, Sofia Vergara told the LA Times that her acting jobs were limited because of her "stupid accent."
Kathy Bates told Variety in September that she could have a long acting career only because she " wasn't a beauty queen."
A representative for Goodall did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider outside regular hours.