During the 1960s, the Task Force on Legal and Political Rights of the newly formed National Organization for Women wanted to drastically increase women’s participation in politics. One of the initial goals of the task force was to get women to run for office.
As one of the original NOW task forces, the Task Force on Legal and Political Rights outlined its goals in a 1967 statement. These goals included a campaign to get women to run for office at all levels – state, local and national.
Getting Rid of Restrictions on Women's Political Power
The feminist task force wanted women to hold political office and to be a part of the regular membership of party committees. Jane Hart, who chaired the task force and submitted its 1967 list of goals, acknowledged that women “may be quite divided” on political issues. However, she called for a rejection of the status quo that tended to place women only in certain positions.
A woman should not just be the chair of the women’s division, or be limited to jobs considered “suitable” for women such as health or welfare committees. The task force goal was to see women actively participate in all committees, in all areas, including science and finance.
Voting for All Women? Only Women?
The goal was not to support any woman just because she was a woman. The aims of the Task Force on Legal and Political Rights did include:
- Increasing the number of women who held political office
- Supporting any woman or man who fought for women’s basic interests
- Defeating any man or woman who betrayed or paid “mere lip service” to women’s basic interests