Women's Equity Action League

The Women's Equity Action League (WEAL) was a national women's organization committed to improving the status of women in the United States through legal action and lobbying for institutional and legislative change. Established and incorporated in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1968 by Dr. Elizabeth Boyer and local members of the National Organization for Women (NOW), WEAL's objectives were geared predominantly toward combating sexism in education and promoting the economic advancement of women. WEAL's membership grew from those who disapproved of NOW's inclusion of “the right of women to control their reproductive lives” in their 8-point Bill of Rights (which also included the Equal Rights Amendment [ERA]). Abortion was a volatile issue for WEAL, which concentrated [Page 900]instead on the elimination of sex discrimination through education and litigation. By 1972, WEAL's membership had increased exponentially, and the WEAL Fund (a nonprofit, nonmembership organization) was established to assist WEAL financially. The two organizations merged in 1981.

The early mandate of WEAL was to support the economic advancement of women, to encourage the enforcement of existing antidiscriminatory laws, to amass resources, and to examine instances—and find resolutions to—educational, economic, and employment troubles faced by women. WEAL also promoted diverse career opportunities for girls, pressed for legal reviews of job discrimination, and worked to mobilize women for their cause. To achieve these goals, WEAL compiled complaints of discrimination on the basis of sex, filed formal grievances against colleges and universities, and advised women on how to do it on their own. WEAL lobbied for the ERA, Title IX, and the Equal Pay Act, and trained volunteers to respond effectively to public policy themselves. WEAL published a national newsletter, The WEAL Washington Report (which outlined federal legislation pertinent to women), and WEAL Informed (an update on pending legislation).

The amalgamation of WEAL and the WEAL Fund in 1981 marked significant changes in the organization and its mission. The remade WEAL was headquartered and incorporated in Washington, D.C., and its new mandate (as a charitable and educational organization) was to support economic and educational equity for American girls and women; to push for the reinforcement of existing antidiscrimination laws; to research, publish, and disseminate information; and to provide legal assistance, service, advice, or support to those discriminated against on the basis of sex, race, religion, ability, or marital status. WEAL's agenda continued to focus on workplace equity, the ERA, and Title IX, but its scope expanded to include women in the military, Social Security, violence, and health (including reproductive health).

By the end of the 1980s, securing funding for its many initiatives became more difficult, and WEAL dissolved its corporation in 1989.