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History Of NOW: The National Organization For Women

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For many centuries, women and men were not treated equally. After the Civil War, women had many essential successes that helped them earn respect. Women have tried very hard to get to the point where they can be treated with the same respect as men. As of today, women are still not equal to men. Women face violence, discrimination, and barriers in society. Women began going to college after the Civil War. They went to coeducational institutions for the most part. In 1870 only 0.7% of the female population went to college. This percentage rose slowly, by 1900 the rate was 2.8% and it was only 7.6% by 1920.1 The women who were trying to get college degrees were faced against many critics. Harvard Medical School professor, Dr. Edward Clarke, …show more content…

NOW is the largest organization of female activists in the United States. Since the founding of NOW in 1966, the goal has been “to take action” and bring equality to all women.4 Betty Friedan was elected the first president of NOW. She served in the office of presidency for three years. Friedan and many others were the founders of this organization. At the first NOW meeting in 1967, the members had chosen to focus on the Equal Rights Amendment, nullification of abortion laws, and public funding of child care. NOW remained active on issues facing economic and reproductive rights. They also became more visibly active on issues of domestic violence in the 1990s. NOW has worked to oppose the Bush administration 's strategies on issues of women 's economic rights, reproductive rights, and marriage equality since …show more content…

Women are stripped of their ability to be able to live a life full of dignity and respect. A woman is assaulted or beaten every 9 seconds in the United States. There are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide daily. Weapons are involved in 19% of domestic violence. Victims of domestic violence have higher suicidal and depression rates. 1 in 5 women have been raped in their lifetime in the United States. 19.3 million women in the United States have been stalked in their lifetime.7 “If we are to fight discrimination and injustice against women we must start from the home for if a woman cannot be safe in her own house then she cannot be expected to feel safe anywhere.” Aysha

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