NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN

The National Organization for Women (now) both symbolized and spearheaded women's growing involvement in politics. Feminist leaders formed now in 1966, three years after the publication of Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique and two years after Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 had guaranteed women legal protection against discrimination. The organization's agenda included better education and employment and political opportunities for women. It also sought equal pay for equal work. In the liberal climate of the 1960s, now grew rapidly. It pioneered the use of "Ms." as a salutation and helped make two-career families more acceptable in middle-class society.

Pressure and activism from feminist groups like now continued to help women when the nation grew more conservative in the 1970s. It fought to preserve the Supreme Court's prochoice ruling in Roe v. Wade (1973) and helped pave the way for women to take more active roles in science, sports, and politics. For example, Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman to run for vice president on a major party ticket. But now's agenda suffered, and it encountered failures and setbacks: the right-to-life movement gained momentum during the 1980s, and the Equal Rights Amendment failed to win the required three-fourths approval from state legislatures to become part of the Constitution.

See also Feminist Movement; Friedan, Betty.