The National Organization for Women Rhiannon Bradshaw

Who are they? The National Organization for Women (NOW) is an American feminist organization founded in The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 US States and the District of Columbia... NOW was established by a group of feminists who were dedicated to actively challenging sex discrimination in society. NOW's actions have established itself as a major force in the sweeping changes that put more women in political posts; increased educational, employment and business opportunities for women; and enacted tougher laws against violence, harassment and discrimination.

Aims of NOW NOW strives to: eliminate discrimination and harassment in the workplace, schools, the justice system, and all other sectors of society; secure abortion, birth control and reproductive rights for all women; end all forms of violence against women; eradicate racism, sexism, and homophobia; and promote equality and justice in our society. NOW achieves its goals through direct mass actions, intensive lobbying, grassroots political organizing and litigation. NOW's actions have established itself as a major force in the sweeping changes that put more women in political posts; increased educational, employment and business opportunities for women; and enacted tougher laws against violence, harassment and discrimination.

History of NOW In 1966, 28 women attending the Third National Conference of the Commission on the Status of Women established the National Organization for Women (NOW). The Commission reported that despite having won the right to vote, women in the United States still were discriminated against in virtually every aspect of life. NOW initiated the growing involvement of women in politics with an agenda that included better education, employment and political opportunities for women. Pressure and activism from NOW continued to help women through the seventies. It fought to preserve the Supreme Court's pro-choice ruling in Roe v. Wade (1973) and helped pave the way for women to take more active roles in modern science, sports, and politics.

How They Achieve Their Aims Since it’s beginning, NOW members have used both traditional and non-traditional means to push for social change. NOW performs extensive electoral and lobbying work and litigations. They also organize mass marches, rallies, pickets and non-violent civil disobedience and promote grassroots efforts.

Examples of Campaigns and Successes NOW-organized marches have drawn significant support: A 1978 march supporting the Equal Rights Amendment drew more than 100,000 people; The Marches for Women's Lives drew 500,000 supporters in 1989 and 750,000 in 1992; In 1995, NOW organized a demonstration focusing on violence against women drawing a quarter of a million people; And, the 1996 March to Fight the Right drew more than 50,000 activists to kick off an electoral season focused on efforts to defend affirmative action. Most recently in 2004, the March for Women's Lives became the largest mass action in U.S. history, bringing a record 1.15 million people to advocate for women's reproductive health options (National Organization for Women).

Importance Over the years, the National Organization for Women (NOW) has been instrumental in the progress of key issues in the women’s movement. NOW’s official priorities are: winning economic equality and securing it with an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that will guarantee equal rights for women; championing abortion rights, reproductive freedom and other women's health issues; opposing racism and fighting bigotry against lesbians and gays; and ending violence against women. Some of NOW's most important work has been in the area of preventing sexual harassment and violence. NOW members organized the first “Take Back the Night” march, founded hot lines and shelters for battered women, lobbied for government funding of programs aimed at stopping violence against women and won the passage of a federal Violence Against Women Act in 1994.

Importance In 1967, NOW was the first national organization to call for the legalization of abortion and for the repeal of all anti-abortion laws. To ensure women's access to reproductive health care, NOW's “Project Stand Up for Women” has trained members to use a three-pronged strategy including litigation, political pressure, and the direct defense of women's rights at medical clinics. In 1994, a U.S. Supreme Court case, NOW v. Scheidler, ruling affirmed NOW's right to use federal racketeering laws against anti-abortion extremists who organize campaigns of fear, force and violence to deny women their right to abortion. One of NOW's strongest concerns is gaining recognition of women's work, both in the home and in the paid labor market. NOW first popularized the slogan, "Every Mother is a Working Mother" and the phrase, "women who work outside the home.” NOW pressed landmark lawsuits against sex discrimination in employment, winning millions in back pay for women. One case in 1969, Weeks v. Southern Bell, attorney Sylvia Roberts, NOW's Southern Regional Director, won a U.S. Fifth Circuit ruling that sex discrimination was a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. This landmark decision was the first to apply Title VII to sex discrimination.

Additionally, NOW also has established a political action committee (NOW/PAC) that supports candidates for federal, state and local offices. NOW/PAC's work helps maintain and further women's rights by supporting candidates, both men and women, with feminist ideals that match those of NOW (National Organization for Women Political Action Committee).

What’s happening now in NOW

Membership for NOW Since NOW does not rely on foundation or corporate dollars, their work for equality and justice is made possible by membership dues, individual donations and volunteer hours. The membership gift allows NOW to fulfill its mission: equality for women and girls. Membership for NOW varies depending on each state, with the average membership fee costing $35 dollars per year. But for $1000 dollars members can join for a lifetime.