Feminist Majority Foundation

Feminist Majority Foundation
Name	Feminist Majority Foundation
Formation	1987
Founders	Eleanor Smeal; Peg Mullen; Katherine Spillar
Type	Nonprofit organization
Headquarters	Arlington, Virginia
Region served	United States; International
Leader title	President
Leader name	Eleanor Smeal

Feminist Majority Foundation is an American nonprofit organization founded in 1987 focused on women's rights, reproductive rights, and feminist research. It engages in advocacy, litigation support, public education, and electoral mobilization through programs and publications. The organization operates nationally and internationally, collaborating with universities, coalitions, and legislative bodies.

History

The organization was established during a period of activism linked to movements such as the campaigns around the Equal Rights Amendment, the activism of National Organization for Women, and the legislative debates following Roe v. Wade. Founders including Eleanor Smeal, who had connections to National Organization for Women and the League of Women Voters, leveraged coalitions with groups like Planned Parenthood Federation of America, NARAL Pro-Choice America, and campus organizations at universities including Harvard University, University of California, Berkeley, and Georgetown University. Early campaigns intersected with political events such as the presidential elections of Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush and the policy shifts under the administrations of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. The foundation expanded work internationally with projects tied to the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, connections to Amnesty International, and partnerships with feminist leaders from India, South Africa, and Afghanistan.

Mission and Programs

The foundation's mission draws on priorities advanced by figures such as Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, and Simone de Beauvoir, emphasizing civic engagement, reproductive health, and women's leadership. Programmatic efforts include campus organizing similar to efforts by Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee-era activism, public opinion research akin to projects at the Pew Research Center, and legal advocacy reflecting models used by ACLU and Legal Momentum. Key programs have worked with policymakers in the United States Congress, state legislatures such as the California State Assembly and Texas Legislature, and international bodies like the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and the World Health Organization.

Advocacy and Campaigns

Advocacy campaigns have targeted issues addressed in landmark cases and laws such as Roe v. Wade, the Hyde Amendment, and debates over the Affordable Care Act. Campaign tactics included grassroots organizing used by the Civil Rights Movement, electoral mobilization seen in campaigns by the League of Women Voters and petition drives like those organized by MOVEON.org. The foundation engaged in coalitions with organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Women's Refugee Commission, and Equality Now and supported initiatives in countries affected by conflicts like Iraq, Sierra Leone, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Campaigns sometimes intersected with high-profile controversies involving figures like Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sandra Day O'Connor, and advocacy surrounding the nomination processes of federal judges during the administrations of Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

Research and Publications

The foundation produced research reports and periodicals that paralleled work published by institutions such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and scholarly outlets at Columbia University and Stanford University. Publications addressed topics covered by international reports from UNICEF, UN Women, and the World Bank. Research projects included voter turnout analysis comparable to studies from the Brennan Center for Justice and public policy briefings that drew on data sources like the U.S. Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The organization’s material entered dialogues with academic work from scholars affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, Yale University, Oxford University, and think tanks including the Brookings Institution and the Heritage Foundation.

Organizational Structure and Funding

The governance structure echoed models used by nonprofits such as Oxfam, CARE International, and Catholic Relief Services with a board of directors and executive leadership. Funding streams included private philanthropy from foundations like the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and Open Society Foundations, grants from agencies such as the United States Agency for International Development and collaborative projects with universities and research centers including University of Michigan and Duke University. The organization navigated nonprofit regulatory frameworks under statutes influenced by decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States and reporting standards monitored by entities such as the Internal Revenue Service and Charity Navigator.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics have leveled objections similar to critiques faced by Planned Parenthood Federation of America and NARAL Pro-Choice America, including disputes over positions on abortion policy like those related to the Hyde Amendment and debates about strategic priorities during high-stakes political moments such as the confirmation hearings of Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh. Controversies also echoed tensions found in feminist debates involving figures like bell hooks and Janet Mock over inclusivity and intersections with movements such as Black Lives Matter and debates about sex work regulation discussed in contexts with Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Funding transparency and alliances prompted scrutiny similar to public debates around nonprofit funding involving the Ford Foundation and corporate partnerships criticized in cases involving organizations like Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Category:Feminist organizations Category:Non-profit organizations based in Virginia Category:Women's rights organizations