Recapping a Year’s Advances, Setbacks

The landmark pay equity case, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees vs. Washington State, was settled for $101 million in April. The New York Times unbent and allowed reporters to use the courtesy title “Ms.” in news stories in June. Patricia McGown Wald became chief judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, the first woman to head any federal appellate court, in July.

These are among the events picked by the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund as the top 10 advances for women’s rights in 1986.

In its annual Year in Review, NOW also picks what it regards as the top 10 setbacks for women. Among these in 1986 were a Census Bureau report in August that a third of the nation’s poor live in single-parent households composed of women and children; the Kiwanis International Club’s vote in June to not admit women (for the 11th straight year); and a report in December from the National Abortion Federation that there were 135 incidents of terrorism against women’s health-care centers in 1986.

The others named in the top 10 advances for women were:

--155,000 pro-choice supporters turned out for the NOW-organized “March for Women’s Lives” held in Washington and Los Angeles in March.

--The U.S. Supreme Court in June overturned a Pennsylvania law that discouraged women from seeking abortions, and for the first time stated explicitly that, “A woman’s right to make that choice freely is fundamental.”

--The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that sex harassment is a form of sex discrimination.

--TV shows about women won Emmy awards in record numbers last September; “Cagney & Lacey” and “Golden Girls” won best dramatic and comedy series, respectively.

--Congress enacted six economic equity laws in October, having to do with pension rights for military spouses, private pension reforms, child-care services, health insurance continuance for widows and divorced spouses and their children, increased tax credits for low-income families and an increase in the tax deduction for single heads of households.

--Emily’s List (Early Money Is Like Yeast--It Makes the Dough Rise) became the only Democratic women’s federal Political Action Committee, raising $350,000 for the Senate campaigns of Barbara Mikulski and Harriet Woods.

--In the November election, ballot measures that would restrict access to abortion were defeated in Oregon, Arkansas, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

NOW regarded the confirmation of conservatives William Rehnquist as chief justice of the Supreme Court and Antonin Scalia as associate justice as one of the 10 low points of the year for women.

Other bad news in ‘86, according to feminists:

--A 13-year, $20-million sex discrimination suit against Sears Roebuck and Co. was dismissed by the U.S. District Court in Chicago in February.

--Lung cancer surpassed breast cancer in February as the No. 1 killer of American women.

--The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Christine Craft’s case after a federal appeals court ruled against her in her sex discrimination lawsuit against Metro-media. In the four years she fought the case, two juries had awarded the TV anchorwoman more than $300,000.

--In June the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Georgia sodomy law, which NOW believes could have an adverse impact on other issues of privacy such as access to abortion and contraception.

--Catherine Pollard of Milford, Conn., was denied her wish to become the first female Boy Scout troop leader in the country in November.

Also in November, the White House Task Force Report on the Family concluded that federal policies should favor the traditional two-parent family.

While it selected its top-10 best-and-worst events from among those that affect large numbers and public policy or set legal precedents, NOW also put out a list that made note of other triumphs and tragedies of 1986.

Early this year, the body of a murdered woman was found in a Lexington, Mass., dump after a local district judge had turned down her request for police protection from her husband in a spousal abuse trial. The judge had castigated the woman for wasting his time and the taxpayers’ money.

Barbara Aronstein Black became the first woman dean of the Columbia University School of Law in February.

A March report in Newsweek said that 71% of all women believe the women’s movement has improved their lives.

Philosopher Simone de Beauvoir, author of “The Second Sex,” died in April. Also in April, a California Superior Court judge ruled that a prostitute cannot be considered a victim of rape, even if she is forced to engage in sex.

In May, the third edition of Arthur Janson’s “History of Art,” a standard college art history text, included women artists for the first time.

In other May events, General Mills made over Betty Crocker for the sixth time--and transformed her from a homemaker to a career woman. Ann Bancroft, 30, became the first woman to reach the North Pole by dog sled. The Union League of Philadelphia, a men’s club dating to the Civil War, voted to admit women.

June brought the closure of the last of the Playboy Clubs in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. Dorcas Hardy became the first female head of the Social Security Administration.

In July, White House Chief of Staff Donald Regan doubted that American women would be willing to give up their jewelry for sanctions against South Africa. Attorney General Edwin Meese’s Commission on Pornography issued its report linking pornography to sexual violence.

In August, Rabbi Leslie Alexander became the first woman to serve as rabbi at a major Conservative synagogue in Los Angeles at Congregation Adat Ari El. It was also in August that the Census Bureau announced that almost two-thirds of all poor people over 16 are women.

In September, the American Council on Education announced research that indicated a shift on campuses: the number of female freshmen planning to major in business has more than doubled in the last decade. Meanwhile, Harvard University celebrated its 350th anniversary, and it was noted that while almost half of its undergraduates are women, only 54 of the 787 tenured faculty are women. The Miss America Pageant agreed to omit the bust, waist and hip measurements of contestants--unless requested by the media.

In October, Tish Sommers, founder of the Older Woman’s League, the first chair of NOW’s Task Force on Older Women and creator of the term “displaced homemaker,” died at 69. American Anita DeFrantz became the first black person ever elected to the International Olympic Committee from a country that is not predominantly black.

November’s elections brought some firsts: Barbara Mikulski became the first Democratic woman senator elected in her own right, there were 10 women campaign managers among the 34 Democratic Senate campaigns, and Oklahomans voted to open underground mining jobs to women.

Along with NOW’s 20th anniversary gala in Los Angeles, December events included NATO’s first woman fighter pilot and the first mention of the word condom on prime-time network TV--in a “Cagney & Lacey” show.