A History Lesson from Howard O'Neal (Club Historian and Charter Member)
FYI, as some of you may know, I am a member of one of RI related Fellowships, ROTI, Rotarians on the Internet. Yesterday, one of the members posted a time line relating to Women in Rotary. This year marks the 25th anniversary of women being allowed to officially be Rotarians. Before that time there was an organization called “Rotary Anns” which served as a sort of auxiliary to Rotary clubs.
Attached is the time line that was posted on ROTI. The spacing is somewhat hard to decipher. Memorable to us: In 1995, eight women were elected the first District Governors in Rotary International. Our club came under one of them, Janet Holland. Janet is still active in the District.
Of the 28 Charter Members, three are still in our club: Tom Atchison, George Gober, Howard O’Neal. There were three women Charter Members:
Emily Hart, Gloria Roberts, Dee Rogers.
<http://www .rotary .org/ enlMediaAndN ews/Multimedia/RVMVideoMagazine/Pages/04- 3.1-
Timeline of women in Rotary1950
An enactment to delete the word *male *from the Standard Rotary Club
Constitution is proposed by a Rotary club in India for the Council on
Legislation meeting at the 1950 RI Convention.
1964
The Council on Legislation agenda contains an enactment proposed by a
Rotary club in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to permit the admission of women into
Rotary clubs. Delegates vote that it be withdrawn. Two other proposals to
allow women to be eligible for honorary membership are also withdrawn.
1972
As more women begin reaching higher positions in their professions, more
clubs begin lobbying for female members. A U.S. Rotary club proposes
admitting women into Rotary at the 1972 Council on Legislation.
1977
Three separate proposals to admit women into membership are submitted to
the Council on Legislation for consideration at the 1977 RI Convention. A
Brazilian club makes a different proposal to admit women as honorary
members.
The Rotary Club of Duarte, California, USA, admits women as members in
violation of the RI Constitution and Standard Rotary Club Constitution.
Because of this violation, the club's membership in Rotary International is
terminated in March 1978, only to be reinstated in September 1986.
1980
The RI Board of Directors and Rotary clubs in India, Sweden, Switzerland,
and the United States propose an enactment to remove from the RI and club
constitutions and bylaws all references to members as *male persons *.
1983-86
In a lawsuit filed by the Duarte club in 1983, the California Superior
Court rules in favor of Rotary International, upholding gender-based
qualification for membership in California Rotary clubs. In 1986, the
California Court of Appeals reverses the lower court's decision, preventing
the enforcement of the provision in California. The California Supreme
Court refuses to hear the case, and it is appealed to the U.S. Supreme
Court.
1987
On 4 May, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that Rotary clubs may not exclude
women from membership on the basis of gender. Rotary issues a policy
statement that any Rotary club in the United States can admit qualified
women into membership. The Board "encourages all clubs in the U.S. to give
fair and equal consideration to candidates for membership without regard to
gender."
The Rotary Club of Marin Sunrise, California (formerly Larkspur Landing),
is chartered on 28 May. It becomes the first club after the U.S. Supreme
Court ruling to have women as charter members. Sylvia Whitlock, of the
Rotary Club of Duarte, California, becomes the first female Rotary club
president.
1988
In November, the RI Board of Directors issues a policy statement
recognizing the right of Rotary clubs in Canada to admit female members
based on a Canadian law similar to that upheld by the u.s. Supreme Court.
1989
At its first meeting after the 1987 u.s. Supreme Court decision, the
Council on Legislation votes to eliminate the requirement in the RI
Constitution that membership in Rotary clubs be limited to men. Women are
welcomed into Rotary clubs around the world.
1990
As of June, there are about 20,200 female Rotarians worldwide. Read a
feature on women in
Rotary<http://books.google.comlbooks?id=RD IEAAAAMBAJ&lpg= PP 1&pg=P A26#v=onepage&g=&f=false
from the June 1990 issue of *The Rotarian. *
1995
In July, eight women become district governors, the first elected to this role.
2005
Carolyn E. Jones begins her term as the first woman appointed as trustee of
The Rotary Foundation, serving from 2005 to 2009.
2007
In July, 63 women begin terms as district governors. Women are members of
25,227 clubs around the world. There are 177,859 female Rotarians.
2008
Catherine Noyer-Riveau begins her term as the first woman elected to the RI
Board of Directors, serving from July 2008 to June 2010.
2011
In June 2011, there are 197,044 female Rotarians worldwide, and 91 women
are district governors.
