Feminist Majority Foundation facts for kids
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| Formation | 1987 |
|---|---|
| Founders | Eleanor Smeal Peg Yorkin Katherine Spillar Toni Carabillo Judith Meuli |
| Type | Non-profit organization |
| Purpose | Women's equality, reproductive health, and non-violence |
| Headquarters | Arlington County, Virginia, U.S. |
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President
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Eleanor Smeal |
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Chair of the Board
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Peg Yorkin |
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Executive Director
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Katherine Spillar |
| Subsidiaries | Ms. magazine |
The Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF) is an American non-profit organization. This means it's a group that works for a cause, not to make money. Its main goal is to help women have equal power, opportunities, and safety. The FMF also supports non-violence.
The name "Feminist Majority" came from a survey in 1986. This survey showed that more than half of American women thought of themselves as feminists. Eleanor Smeal, one of the founders, chose the name to show that many women support these ideas.
Contents
What the FMF Does
The FMF is a research and education group. It also publishes Ms. magazine. This magazine writes about women's lives in the U.S. and around the world. The FMF became the publisher of Ms. magazine in 2001.
The FMF works on many projects and campaigns. These projects focus on women's health and rights, both in the U.S. and other countries. Some of their important programs include:
- National Clinic Access Project
- Campaign for Women's Health
- Feminist Campus (Choices Campus Leadership Program)
- Global Reproductive Rights Campaign
- Campaign for Afghan Women and Girls
- National Center for Women and Policing
- Education Equity Program
- Rock for Choice
History and Achievements
The Feminist Majority Foundation was started in 1987. Its founders were Eleanor Smeal, Peg Yorkin, Katherine Spillar, Toni Carabillo, and Judith Meuli. The FMF has offices in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles, California.
Encouraging Women in Leadership
From 1989 to 1992, the FMF ran a campaign called "Feminization of Power." This campaign encouraged many women to run for public office. Because of this effort, the number of women in the United States Congress doubled in 1992. This year was even called the "Year of the Woman."
The FMF also helped support equal rights laws. For example, in 1992, they helped pass an Equal Rights Amendment in Iowa. In 1996, they worked against a ballot measure in California that could have harmed equal opportunity.
Big Events and Campaigns
In 2004, the FMF was one of the main groups that organized the "March for Women's Lives." More than 1.15 million people came to Washington, D.C., to support women's rights.
The FMF also hosts events for young people. In 2013, they held their 9th Annual National Young Feminist Leadership conference. Speakers at this event included Dolores Huerta and Monica Simpson.
Laws and Rights
The Feminist Majority has helped achieve many important legal victories for women. They helped change the Civil Rights Act of 1991. This change allowed women to receive money if they won lawsuits about unfair treatment or harassment.
They also helped pass other important laws, such as:
- The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993: This law helps people take time off work for family or medical reasons without losing their job.
- The Violence Against Women Act (1994): This law helps protect women from violence.
- The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (1994): This law protects people trying to get or provide health services.
- The Domestic Violence Offender Gun Ban (1996): This law prevents people convicted of domestic violence from owning guns.
The FMF also helped restore Title IX in 1988. Title IX is a law that stops unfair treatment based on sex in schools and education programs. They continued to defend Title IX against challenges in 2003.
Today, the FMF continues to work for important international agreements. They advocate for the U.S. to approve the United Nations Women's Rights Treaty, also known as CEDAW. This treaty aims to end all forms of unfair treatment against women. They also support the International Criminal Court.
See also
In Spanish: Feminist Majority Foundation para niños
- Equal Rights Amendment
- Feminism
- Liberal feminism
- Social justice
- Progressivism
