Nallonat NOW nmes, January/F.txuary, 1983

~CJJ\U ACTS by Gloria J. Windell Editor's Note: This feature Is written from chapter press releases. newsletters and clippings. Please send matenals to the Los Angeles editorial office.

Santa Barbara (CA) NOW and the Craft said she made It clear that she National Womens' Political Caucus was eager to do a lot of aggressive have been arranging speaking engage­ reporting-as journalists are supposed ments and fundralsers to aid a news· to do. The management of KMBC lndl· caster who lost her job because she cated they liked her just the way she was, "Too unattractive, too old and not was and "wouldn't want to change a deferential enough to men." thing." • Craft said that once she had moved Christine Craft, a 38·year·old former to Kansas City and started work, she Kansas City news anchor, now working was handed a copy of Dress for Sue· OHIO NOW member Kathy Kaln· President Human Resources, Central at station KEYT In Santa Barbara, flied cess. "I was constantly Insulted be­ Ward, Media Representative for Clncln· Bancorporatlon; Marylyn Brandhorst, a 1 million dollar lawsuit against KMBC, cause of my appearance. I would do natl and Butler County NOW, checks VIce President Fund Raising, Ohio the Kansas City, ABC affiliate. stories and get awards and rec6gnltion out the new computer which was pre­ NOW; Jean Rourke, President Ohio The suit seeks back pay, lost benefits, from the community, and the only thing sented to Ohio NOW by the Central NOW; Walter Becker, Senior VIce Pres· attorney's fees and recovery of the job. KMBC could ever talk about was my Trust Company of Cincinnati. Shown ldent Central Trust Company. Craft, who has worked for KPIX·TV appearance." (L to R.): Bob Zimmerman, Senior VIce In and as a reporter for "What I am essentially fighting here the "Women In Sports" s~ment of Is a test case," concluded Craft. In Chicago (IL) NOW announced Its Fort Myers (FL) NOW former Presl· "CBS Sports Spectacular," was working Missouri and many other states, It Is PAC's endorsement of Jane Byrne for dent, Mary Baldauf has flied complaints where she Is now when she was offered argued that women do not need an re-election as Mayor of the city of Chi· with the U.S. Office of Revenue Sharing the job by KMBC In Kansas City In 1980. Equal Rights Amendment because --- cago. Including one that Involves the city of "I'm an average-looking person,"'' their employment rights are guaranteed At a press- conference held on Jan· Fort Myers' auto mechanics class. said Craft. ''When I auditioned for1hat under existing constitutional law. !'m~ uary 12, chapter President Karen Wei· The class Is entitled, "Basic Auto Sur· job I never once misrepresented myself asking the federal courts In Kansas City IIsch confirmed the chapter's support vlval for Women," "To be fair, the city as a beauty queen or fashion plate." to prove that to me." for Byrne by saying, "As this city's should call It, 'An auto mechanics most prominent woman, Jane Byrne course for beginners,'" said Baldauf. Trumbull County (OH) NOW members Boston (MA) NOW.Prealdent, Cynthia exerted strong public leadership as a "To assume women need a special arid representatives of other I~ and Medeiros, announced the chapter's visible and vocal ERA supporter. In her course Is a putdown. I know a lot of women's organizations picketed the "Women of the Year'' awards. The role as a leader of the Democratic Party men who are terrible at auto mectianlcs Youngstdwn office of the Equitable awards are, "Boston NOW's way of In Illinois, Mayor Byrne persuaded a and I know a lot of women who are very Life Insurance Company recently. acknowledging the tremendous gains significant number of state legislators good at lt." that women have made In many areas who had previously withheld their sup­ Tite company had refused to recog· while reaffirming NOW's commitment port to vote for ERA ratification." The city's Instructor for the course nlze union representation for Its clerl· to removing all obstacles to women's Welllsch pointed out that at the last cal employees and refused to bargain continued progress," said Medeiros. national conference, NOW made a said the course Is designed to teach with District 925 of the Sarvlce EmplOY· Nominations for the awards were strong commitment to support quail· women how to check a car's vital fl ulds -oil, water and lubricants-and how ees' International Union (SEIU), which made by ballot of the membership. fled women holding public office and won an election to represint the pre­ Winners were named lrl nfne categories to work with them In developing effec· to change a tire. Th-e course will not Include more "complicated" mainte­ dominantly female clerical workforce In of endeavor: The Arts, Business, Edu· tlve women's rights programs. Equitable's Syracuse, New York office. cation, Government, Health and Medl· "We believe that under a Byrne ad­ nance such as changing spark plugs, he said. cine, Media, Religion, Women's Rights ministration we can make progress on and an open category. Issues of concern to NOW members, The aroup of protestors carried signs and we look forward to the opportunity One of Fort Myers NOW's successful demanding "Equality From Equitable," Greater Rochester (NY) NOW has to exert our leadership In such areas suits was In ll)76 In a complaint flied and "Why Should Women Pay More?" started a reward fund to help find and as equal employment opportunity, gay against the city of Fort Myers for refus­ They also distributed brochures to arrest suspected rapists. Chapter Pres­ rights, services for rape victims and Ing wornen the right to play on the citY· bring public attention to Equitable's Ident, Kathy Story, believes this Is the battered women and funding for social owned golf course on Saturdays- until discriminatory Insurance rates and first fund of this kind In Rochester. programs," saldWelllsch. an the men had teed off first. anti-union stance. The chapter started the fund because of the Increasing number of rapes In the city and also a recent case which Involved a 67 year·old woman who was sexually attacked In a church. "We're doing this to show women that we care about all women that have been raped and to keep the Issue In people's minds," Story said. Rewards would be offered for lnfor· matlon leading to the arrest and con· vlctlon of rapists through a plan worked out with the pollee department and based on Information received by the department. Rochester NOW also has plans for a crime deterrent workshop for women which will Include self-protection tech· nlques, advice from the Rochester Pollee Department and Information on a two-way radio system used now by J elderly citizens. l Northeast Wayne (MI) NOW member y Janet Evans has been awarded $22,500 ~t: In a sex discrimination suit against the I South Redford School District. The ~-alol~-oo~~.o~ a. suit, which dates back to 1978, charged Los Angeles (CA) NOW celebrated has been realized In part with the es­ attractive shop with quality merchan· that Evans was denied the position of the opening of their NOW Store on tablishment of the Los Angeles NOW dlse at reasonable prices. Chapter vol· orchestra director at Pierce Junior High November 21. After the ribbon-cutting Education Fund. The store Is a fund­ unteers worked for weeks remodeling School after she had gained experience ceremony, Chapter President, Toni raising effort of the Education Fund, the building and as a result It Is one of as both band and orchestra director In Carablllo explained that the chapter Carablllo said. the most attractive stores of Its kind. another junior high school. The posl· has long had a goal of finding alterna­ Susan Van Trees, who manages the The store features new and up-to-date tlon was given Instead to a male ale- tive ways raise funds to support the }9 store anQ heads the Education Fund used merchandise, as well as merchan· mentary band and orchestra director chaptersn t.n·polltlcal goals. That goal observes that customers will find an dlse on consignment from craftsper· who had not taught In junior high and sons. never made a request for the job. 8 \'