NOW

• Establishment of NOW

  • Unhappy when the government’s Equal employ,en opportunities commission (EEOC) refused to enforce Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act which banned discrimination in employment on the basis of sex as well as race
  • NOW aimed to monitor the enforcement of the legalisation and to demand an amendment to the Constitution that affirmed women's rights to equality in all areas
• Litigation


  1. NOW represented Lorena Weeks

  2. Weeks said Southern Bell contravened 1964 Civil Rights Act by denying her promotion

  3. Weeks lost initial case in 1966 but NOW won on appeal in 1969
• Political Pressure


  1. NOW produced Bill of Rights for Women 1968

  2. Sought enforcement of Title VII

  3. Sought equal access to education and employment

  4. Sought maternity leave

  5. Sought federally funded child care to assist working mothers

  6. Sought reproductive rights
• Public Information Campaigns


  1967- NOW helped gain national attention for flight attendants' fight against sexist airline advertisements
• Protest

  1. 1970 NOW organised national women's strike for equal rights

  2. Estimated 100,000 women gave active support

  3. Thousands marched with 'Don't iron while the strike is hot'

  4. Some protesters dumped their children on husbands' desks