Women in Rotary
I am sure many of members of our Rotary Club remember the turmoil when women could join Rotary.
I certainly can! We had members leave because of it and there were all sorts of strange objections. "Wives are against it for obvious reasons." As if any woman in her right mind would join Rotary for sex; the gym would be a far better bet! One thing that has happened is that men tend to be better behaved when women are present as at the end of the 18th century when women eventually joined men at table the piss pot was no longer passed round for men to relieve themselves.
It has made a difference to Rotary priorities as we are seeing more female priorities where projects are concerned, not only at International level but also locally and not only proposed by women. We are also seeing more women in District leadership roles and men are less willing to come forward for such positions. The same applies at club level. I wouldn't be surprised if in South Africa Rotary will eventually become primarily a women's organisation probably far sooner than we think.
This is what RI has to say about it:Women are active participants in Rotary, serving their communities in increasing numbers and serving in leadership positions in Rotary. The 1989 Council on Legislation vote to admit women into Rotary clubs worldwide remains a watershed moment in the history of Rotary.
“My fellow delegates, I would like to remind you that the world of 1989 is very different to the world of 1905. I sincerely believe that Rotary has to adapt itself to a changing world,” said Frank J. Devlyn, who would go on to become RI president in 2000-01.
The vote followed the decades-long efforts of men and women from all over the Rotary world to allow the admission of women into Rotary clubs, and several close votes at previous Council meetings.
The response to the decision was overwhelming: By June 1990, the number of female Rotarians had skyrocketed to over 20,000. The number of women members worldwide reached 195,000 in July 2010 (about 16% of Rotarians) and surpassed 277,000 in July 2020 (about 23% ).
A top priority for Rotary is growing and diversifying our membership to make sure we reflect the communities we serve. We know that our capacity to increase our impact and expand our reach is larger when more people unite with us, which is why we value diversity, equity and inclusion. Rotary celebrates and welcomes the contributions of people of all backgrounds, regardless of their age, ethnicity, race, colour, abilities, religion, socioeconomic status, culture, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
Our timeline highlights historic milestones and senior leadership firsts that have helped build greater diversity in Rotary. These leaders and all our female members are making positive change in communities around the world.
Timeline of women in Rotary
1950 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 Rotary 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 Rotary 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. (The club was 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, the California Superior Court in 1983 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 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. The Rotarian runs a feature on women in Rotary.
1995 In July, eight women become district governors, the first elected to this role: Mimi Altman, Gilda Chirafisi, Janet W. Holland, Reba F. Lovrien, Virginia B. Nordby, Donna J. Rapp, Anne Robertson, and Olive P. Scott.
2005 Carolyn E. Jones begins her term as the first woman appointed as trustee of The Rotary Foundation.
2022 Jennifer Jones begins her term as the first female president of Rotary International.
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