Patti Singer writes for USA Today: “‘The one thing I thought of was the Anita Hill hearings,’ O’Neill said. ‘Guess what happened after those hearings. We ended up with the most women in the United States Congress that we ever had. I think that needs to happen again.’”
Remembered as a pioneer of women’s rights and feminism, Friedan released her book The Feminine Mystique in 1963. It explored the idea of women finding personal fulfilment outside their traditional roles. In 1966 she co-founded the National Organization for Women. After stepping down as president in 1970, she organized the Women’s Strike for Equality, drawing more than 50,000 women and men.
There are many paths toward gender equality for all women and girls. But before we in the U.S. presume that’s only a problem in the developing world, let’s take a closer look at our own backyard.
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act was intended to protect religious freedom in individual cases, and not to ‘create blanket exemptions to laws that protect against discrimination.’ Signers included the American Civil Liberties Union, the NAACP, the National Organization for Women and leading gay-rights organizations.
The decision was welcomed by some doctors and women’s advocates, who said they hoped it would open to the door to more drugs to help women with sexual problems. ‘Clearly we need more than just one medication — women need to have an array of choices that meets their specific medical needs,’ says Terry O’Neill of the National Organization for Women. ‘So with this success I think there will be more development of more medications. And that is all to the good.’