Connie Fish with Sylvia Witlock, the first woman Rotary Club President.
Connie Fish, who is a Fallbrook Rotarian, told how women were first able to become Rotarians. In 1964, the Rotary Council of Legislation Agenda contained three different proposals for Rotarian women. All proposals were all withdrawn by delegate voting. Several proposals were also withdrawn from the agenda in the 1970s. The Duarte Rotary Club pushed the issue by having women members — in violation of the RI Constitution and the standard Rotary Club Constitution. The Duarte Club lost their Rotary International (RI) Membership as a result!
Of course, the Duarte Club filed a lawsuit but a 1983 California Superior Court ruling upheld RI’s position. The legal battle did not end there. It continued when the California Court of Appeals did not support the provision of gender-based membership. In 1986, the Duarte Club was reinstated. When the California Supreme Court refused the case, the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of women Rotarians. Then, Rotary issued a policy statement allowing US clubs to admit qualified women members in 1987. The first woman joined the Marine Sunrise Rotary Club, and Sylvia Witlock became the Duarte Rotary Club’s President.
Rotarian Fish, herself, first experienced pushback when she joined San Diego County Kiwanis and later Rotary. At the Kiwanis Club, the men quietly stood in the buffet line with her. One man suddenly said, “Why are you here? Why can’t women be satisfied with being a Soroptimist?” She decided she was not leaving and became the cantankerous Fine Master. If you can’t join them, fine them! When she then joined a San Diego County Rotary, she couldn’t sit at a table first because no one would join her. Several women joined the club eventually. They enjoyed demoting a sexually offensive male club president. She purposely invited a current male Rotarian’s wife a meeting. Upon seeing his wife, the angry husband quit!
Things are changing for the better. Women have served as District Governors and on RI Board of Directors. RI has had women as Treasurer and RI Vice-President. Jennifer E. Jones will begin her term as RI President in July 2022. There is more hope on the horizon — 51% of Rotaractors are women! Get Ready!