Highlights of Brooklyn NOW History

Since it was founded in 1972, the Brooklyn Chapter (which later became the Brooklyn-Queens chapter) of NOW has...

• Worked in the coalition that saved the Brooklyn College Women’s Center from extinction. The Center is operating and has a full-time director.



• Challenged employment bias in NY Times ads, state government and the private sector.



• Fought for better treatment of rape survivors by hospitals and police.



• Backed equal funding of school programs for girls and boys under Title IX.



• Opposed union busting and helped win non-traditional union jobs for women.



• Organized consciousness raising groups.



• Picketed a local Mitsubishi dealership to protest sexual harassment of female employees.



• Created the Shirley U. Graber Scholarship Fund for students majoring in women’s studies, to honor the memory of a former chapter president.



• Won statewide legislation criminalizing female genital mutilation, which was occurring in Brooklyn.



• Participated in the successful campaign for the Equal Benefits Law. Testified at City Council hearings, which resulted in increased availability of EC in NYC.

Today We...

• Defend women’s health clinics from anti-choice forces and provide clinic escorts for women seeking abortions, together with other pro-choice groups



• Send speakers to high schools, college campuses and senior centers



• Lobby elected officials, here and in Albany, on behalf of women’s rights, such as requiring over-the-counter status for Emergency Contraception



• Monitor the courts’ treatment of women in matrimonial, criminal and mental-health cases



• We established our Political Action Committee in 2001 to evaluate and educate candidates seeking our endorsements



• Fight the right-wing backlash against women’s progress



• Research and publicize the records of candidates for school boards and for city, state and federal offices

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