Equality NOW

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Recommended: Social changes in the 1960's

When social change is mentioned, one’s first thought is usually the sixties – the civil rights movements of the time epitomize the American idea of activism and societal adaptation, and the bold protests and important legislation that marked the civil rights era impress it upon the memory. However, social change is not a thing of the past, or limited to a single era. Social change is a pervasive and constantly-evolving part of human society, and social change continues to impact issues in the modern era. One such modern issue is feminism. While often the butt of jokes, with feminists accused of misandry and having victim complexes – some even go so far as to refer to feminists as “femi-Nazis” – feminism is not as radical as it seems. As a matter of fact, the foundation of the movement is the ‘radical’ idea that people are equal, regardless of their gender. While it seems mind-boggling that half the population of the Earth could still be regarded as ‘inferior’ merely by circumstance of their gender in the 21st century, the fact remains that modern women face many problems due to their gender. From wage gaps to glass ceilings to street harassment, these hardships are thrown into sharp relief by the added independence of college life, so a chapter of the National Organization for Women, or NOW, the premiere feminist group in America, has been founded at the University of Illinois to help address and hopefully eradicate these challenges. Through focus, inclusivity, cooperation, and emphasis on improving attitudes, the campus chapter of NOW addresses many of the challenges faced by women in college and beyond with unflinching dedication and openness.
The National Organization for Women was founded in 1966, and has 500,000 members in ...

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...aboo topics and empowering members and all those affected by their events. The scale of NOW’s operation is somewhat troubling, as it is a small group to be addressing such a large issue, but their methods tend to be sound, steady, and very self-aware. The group’s stress on intersectional feminism is an inspiring one that, if acted on in full, may help to bring the group closer to more groups who will aid them in their goals.

Works Cited

Bornstein, David. "Six Qualities of Successful Social Entrepreneurs." How to Change the World.
Oxford: Oxford UP, 2007. 238-45. E-Reserve. Web.

Copper, Anna. President of UIUC’s chapter of the National Organization for Women. Personal interview. Holtzclaw-Stone, Heather. 11/18/2013. Lecture.

Holtzclaw-Stone, Heather. 12/2/2013. Lecture.

"Information about NOW." National Organization for Women. NOW, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013.

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