"As I thumbed rapidly through box after box to confirm that the entries described in the Finder's Aid were actually there, I tried to glance at only the faces. It was a decision that paid off, because it was in them that a crucial difference between the men and the women revealed itself. For the most part, the men looked diffident, oblivious. That's not surprising considering that men of that era were accustomed to undressing for draft physicals and athletic-squad weigh-ins.
"But the faces of the women were another story. I was surprised at how many looked deeply unhappy, as if pained at being subjected to this procedure. On the faces of quite a few I saw what looked like grimaces, reflecting pronounced discomfort, perhaps even anger."
Frankly, the suggestion that women have more power in this sort of situation is so wrong-headed that I honestly can't imagine how anyone familiar with Western culture could come up with it.
Whereas the women now had:
- a bunch of male scientists leering at them [1];
- some photos in the hands of those scientists that could be embarrassing;
- the possibility of those photos being stolen and distributed;
- a strong sense that they have no right to privacy or dignity in the highly male-dominated Ivy League world.
That last one would count as an educational bonus, at least.
[1] I'm only guessing that the scientists were male here, but I think it's a safe bet. Even nowadays, but more so then.
When it is better for men to do what they are told than otherwise, you classify it as a benefit. When it is better for women to do what they are told than otherwise, you call it oppression. I'm trying to draw attention to this double standard.
To be clear: neither the men nor women gained directly from having their photographs taken.