Patricia Ireland (born October 19, 1945) is an American administrator and feminist. She served as president of the National Organization for Women from 1991 to 2001 and published an autobiography, What Women Want, in 1996.

Early life

Ireland was born on October 19, 1945, in Oak Park, Illinois. Her parents were James Ireland, a metallurgical engineer, and Joan Filipek, a volunteer counselor at Planned Parenthood. She grew up in Valparaiso, Indiana, and graduated from Valparaiso High School at the age of sixteen in 1962.[1][2][3] She began studying at DePauw University and married Don Anderson, a student at Ball State University, and the couple transferred to the University of Tennessee. She quickly divorced her first husband and received her bachelor's degree from the university in 1966.[1] She received a J.D. degree from the University of Miami School of Law in 1975. She also attended Florida State University College of Law.[4][5]

Career

Before beginning a career as an attorney, Ireland worked as a flight attendant for Pan Am. After discovering gender-based discrepancies in the treatment of insurance coverage for spouses of employees, Ireland fought successfully for a change in coverage. Knowing that ignorance of the law was a disadvantage, she immediately began law school and performing volunteer work for the National Organization for Women (NOW).[6][7] She moved to Washington, DC, as an elected officer of now. Ireland advocated extensively for the rights of poor women, gays and lesbians, and African-American women. She has also advocated electing female candidates, and training people to defend clinics from anti-abortion protesters around the United States. Ireland became the president of NOW in 1991. She ran for re-election in 1993, winning with 671 votes against Efia Nwangaza, who received 235 votes.[8][9]

Immediately following Ireland's appointment to president of NOW, questions arose about her sexual orientation.[10] On December 17, 1991, she gave an interview with The Advocate, in which she states that she had a female companion while remaining married to her second husband.[11][12][13][14][15] She published a book, What Women Want, in 1996.[16]

In 2003, Ireland served for six months as the CEO of the YWCA. In October 2003, Ireland was dismissed after refusing to step down, although YWCA spokespeople denied that conservative pressure was a factor in the decision.[17][18][19] Following her dismissal from the YWCA, Ireland was former Senator Carol Moseley Braun's national campaign manager for her brief 2004 presidential bid.[20][21]

Ireland returned to Miami and resumed practicing law, representing unions and their members until her retirement in 2023.

References

  1. 1 2 Engelbert, Phillis; Sawinski, Diane, eds. (2001). Activists, Rebels and Reformers. Detroit: UXL. p. 270. ISBN 9780787648497.
  2. ↑ McCollum, Carmen (October 22, 2013). "Patricia Ireland fired by YWCA". The Times of Northwest Indiana. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  3. ↑ Rosenfeld, Megan (January 11, 1992). "The NOW and Future Feminist". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  4. ↑ Gross, Jane (March 1, 1992). "Does She Speak for Today's Women? -- Patricia Ireland, President of NOW". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  5. ↑ Frey, Jennifer (July 19, 2001). "Then and NOW". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  6. ↑ Kuersten, Ashlyn K., ed. (2003). Women and the law : leaders, cases, and documents. Santa Barbara, Calif. [u.a.]: ABC-Clio. p. 48. ISBN 9780874368789.
  7. ↑ Fineman, Howard (July 21, 1991). "Shaking Things Up At Now". Newsweek. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  8. ↑ Edsall, Thomas B. (July 4, 1993). "Ireland Wins Bitter Battle for NOW Post". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  9. ↑ Tugend, Alina (June 28, 2001). "For Patricia Ireland, a World of Feminism". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  10. ↑ Schenken, Suzanne O'Dea, ed. (1999). From suffrage to the Senate : an encyclopedia of American women in politics. Santa Barbara, Calif. [u.a.]: ABC-Clio. p. 352. ISBN 9780874369601.
  11. ↑ Thru the years - cover story. The words I use are the words I use. I have a companion, and she's very important in my life. The Advocate 1991-12-17. Retrieved 2014-10-16.
  12. ↑ Clift, Eleanor (December 15, 1991). "Patricia Ireland: What Now?". Newsweek. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  13. ↑ Beyette, Beverly (February 24, 1992). "The Lesbian Issue Resurfaces". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  14. ↑ Mann, Judy (January 15, 1992). "NOW, Lesbianism and Liability". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  15. ↑ Lawrence, Jill (December 3, 1991). "NOW Executive's Dual Life". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  16. ↑ Selvin, Molly (August 11, 1996). "Whiplash From Backlash: What Women Want". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Patricia Ireland fired from YWCA". The Advocate. 2003-10-22. Retrieved 2007-01-23.
  18. ↑ "YWCA Expels CEO After Short Term". Los Angeles Times. October 21, 2003. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  19. ↑ Wingfield, Brian (October 21, 2003). "A Target of Conservatives' Ire, Y.W.C.A. Chief Is Dismissed". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  20. ↑ Institute of Politics, Harvard University, ed. (2005). Campaign for President : the managers look at 2004. Lanham, Md. [u.a.]: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 17. ISBN 9780742539709.
  21. ↑ Gutgold, Nichola D. (2006). Paving the way for Madam President. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books. p. 152. ISBN 9780739115947.
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