HR0037 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0037 LRB102 11336 ECR 16669 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to commend the life and legacy of Betty Friedan and the impact she made on human rights; and

WHEREAS, Betty Friedan was born in Peoria on February 4, 1921; she graduated as valedictorian of Peoria High School in 1938 and then graduated with highest honors from Smith College in 1942; she spent a year on a graduate fellowship at the University of California Berkeley to train as a psychologist and then received the honor of a second fellowship from the university, the first to be awarded to a psychologist or a woman; and

WHEREAS, In 1963, Betty Friedan's study of the lives of women in the post World War Two era was published in the historic nonfiction book, The Feminine Mystique; and

WHEREAS, Betty Friedan was a trailblazer in launching the modern women's rights movement by identifying "the problem that has no name" in her book, The Feminine Mystique, which became one of the most influential books of the 1900s; and

WHEREAS, In 1966, Betty Friedan helped found the National Organization of Women (NOW), an organization advocating for equality that became the largest feminist organization in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Betty Friedan helped form NOW's original purpose statement codifying the aim of the organization to "take action to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society now, exercising all the privileges and responsibilities thereof in truly equal partnership with men."; and

WHEREAS, Betty Friedan advocated for many historical advancements, including the creation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the initial barring of gender discrimination in employment, and the expansion of discrimination protections to include race, color, religion, and/or national origin; and

WHEREAS, Throughout her life, Betty Friedan continued to publish many groundbreaking books, including It Changed My Life: Writings on the Women's Movement, The Second Stage, The Fountain of Age, Beyond Gender: The New Politics of Work and Family, and Life So Far: A Memoir; and

WHEREAS, Betty Friedan played an integral role in the women's movement by changing the way the United States views gender roles; and

WHEREAS, Betty Friedan dedicated her life to the advancement of rights for women as well as for children, working families, and the elderly; and

WHEREAS, In 2006, Betty Friedan passed away on her birthday at the age of 85; and

WHEREAS, People across the country are celebrating what would have been Betty Friedan's 100th birthday on February 4, 2021; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we commend the life and legacy of Betty Friedan.