Jennie Darlington

Jennie Darlington (née Zobrist, 1924–2017) was an American explorer and, with Jackie Ronne, one of the first women to overwinter on Antarctica, during the winter of 1947-1948.^[1][2] She and Ronne were part of a team that re-occupied a former U.S. station (from the U.S. Antarctic Service Expedition in 1939) on Stonington Island in 1946.^[3][4] Darlington became part of the expedition by chance: she had intended to only go as far as Valparaiso, Chile with her husband, Harry Darlington, who was the pilot for the Ronne expedition. The newlyweds spent their honeymoon in Antarctica after Jackie Ronne and her husband requested Jennie's presence.

Darlington was also the first woman to become pregnant in Antarctica.^[5][6] She later wrote a book, My Antarctic Honeymoon, in which she concluded that "women do not belong in Antarctica".^[7] The book was co-written with Jane McIlvaine and includes the line "Antarctica to me is female. Fickle, changeable, unpredictable, her baseness disguised by a white make-up of pristine purity. Suddenly she strips off her gloves, rolls up her sleeves and with the ferocity of a wolf, springs at your throat." She and Ronne did not get on, although this may have been due to issues between their spouses.^[8]

References

1. "Jennie Darlington, participant in groundbreaking Antarctic exploration, dies at 93". The Washington Post. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
2. Sullivan, Patricia (2009-06-18). "Obituary: Edith 'Jackie' Ronne 1919-2009, First U.S. Woman on Antarctica". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2016-06-27.
3. Hulbe, Christina L.; Wang, Weili; Ommanney, Simon (2010-12-01). "Women in glaciology, a historical perspective". Journal of Glaciology. 56 (200): 944–964. doi:10.3189/002214311796406202.
4. "The Antarctic Sun: News about Antarctica - Breaking the Ice (page 1)". antarcticsun.usap.gov. Retrieved 2016-06-27.
5. "2005 Signing - American Geographical Society". Archived from the original on 2016-06-24. Retrieved 2016-06-27.
6. Miller, Stephen (2009-06-20). "Last-Minute Whim Began a Long Antarctic Stay for First Known U.S. Woman on the Continent". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2016-06-27.
7. "Origins: Antarctica: People: Women In Antarctica (1) | Exploratorium". Exploratorium: the museum of science, art and human perception. Retrieved 2016-06-27.
8. Stephen Martin (1 February 2013). A History of Antarctica. Rosenberg Publishing. pp. 375–7. ISBN 978-1-922013-72-9.