Dear Rotarians
Importance of Membership.
Why Membership?
History of Women in Rotary.
It is said that when people are informed they will do the right things. It is when they are not informed that they become hostages to prejudice. This was the reason why men did not allow women to join Rotary from its beginning till 1987. I think in those days the perception of a woman was more orthodox and men did not see their potential as leaders and executors of superior ideas. Probably in a small way the women contributed to this idea of men since they willingly took up work in the home and stretched it for hours. The story goes that in USA, when instant coffee was first introduced, it was a failure. The company was perplexed and they did a survey to find out why their new product did not go down well with people. To their surprise, the survey showed that women were making coffee in most of the homes in the morning and they spent nearly one hour and more to prepare the beans and decoction before finally serving it as coffee. With the advent of the instant coffee, their work was reduced to few minutes and they did not know what to do for the rest of the hour or more. So they felt guilty of wasting time doing nothing. When the knowledge revolution broke out at the same time, women found that they can do more, earn and compete with men in nearly all spheres of life. Needless to say, the instant coffee was back with a big bang and was a success. With newer gadgets coming into the market and making the life of the ‘housewife’ who was now called ‘homemaker’ more simple, women started to take up leadership positions and it was time for them to demonstrate their skills in various avenues and Rotary was there in front, standing as a male-dominated bastion which had to be breached. Interestingly it was India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) that originally mooted the idea of bringing women into Rotary as early as 1950 and 1964 respectively. The Rotary Club of Mount Lavinia, Ceylon was the club that put up the proposal for admitting women, but it was defeated. It was only in 1972 that the idea of admitting women into Rotary came in USA. Not much happened till 1977 when proposals to amend the enactments to admit women were sent to the Council on Legislation to be considered at the 1977 RI Convention. Taking a revolutionary step, the Rotary Club of Duarte, California, USA, admitted women as members in 1977 and incurred the wrath of RI and got terminated in 1978. Again in 1980, Rotary Clubs from India, Sweden, Switzerland and USA moved proposals of remove from the constitution the reference to members as ‘male members’ without success. Not willing to take ‘No’ for an answer, the Rotary Club of Duarte filed a case with California Superior Court in 1983 but lost it when the court ruled in favour of Rotary International. However, in 1986 the California Court of Appeals reversed the decision of the lower court and again RI tried to appeal against this with the California Supreme Court. When this court refused to hear the case, the matter was taken to the US Supreme Court and on May 4, 1987, the US Supreme Court ruled that Rotary Clubs cannot exclude women from becoming members. In June 1987, Rotary International issued a policy statement saying that women can be admitted into Rotary Clubs. However, the Rotary Club of Marin Sunrise, California, USA, was the first club to admit women on May 28, 1987 after the decision of the Supreme Court and Sylvia Whitlock became the first lady President of the Rotary Club of Duarte, California, USA which was reinstated in 1986 after a prolonged battle with RI. It was in the 1989 Council on Legislation that RI amended the constitution to admit women and remove the gender bias. Today there are 2,65,968 women Rotarians worldwide and India has a share with 17570 members. This figure is of course far from the desired level of having over 5,00,000 women Rotarians. 3030 — 5486–695 3131–5493–1021 3132–4156–421 3141–5360–1053 3141–2996–425 But first let us find out what made women fight so passionately to join Rotary. What could have been the ideas those days and what is the idea today with women who have joined Rotary? I think, and I am quite positive about it, that women were not just wanting to breach some male dominated organisation for the sake of doing so. If they had wanted more activity in society, there must have been lots of social clubs that could have got their attention. But the superior mind of women would not settle for just some social get-togethers and chit-chat. They found that their talents and skills can be used in a place which has all of the camaraderie and yet has something more to offer to their souls – the idea of service. I am sure that when all of you decided to join Rotary, you knew that you had other options. But Rotary offers a special bondage among people because it is a service organisation primarily, with fun and enjoyment added in limited measure and providing that platform where you are welcome in over 200′ countries and geographical regions. No other social organisation gives you this privilege. THE ROTARY FOUNDATION Just look at the amazing bouquet of service opportunities The Rotary Foundation gives you. It not only encourages you to contribute your mite, but matches your contribution to do good in your community and in the world. That is why I am asking you to be the ambassadors of goodwill and invite more of your lady friends and relations into your clubs. The bondage that you already have with your club members will be enhanced once you have more friends with you to share your dream of a better world. Rotary clubs not only fulfills your social needs but also your soulful spiritual need since service to humanity is service to God. Today most of the Anns who were confined to their homes, are able to come to Rotary meetings and events with their spouses, meet new people, discover new cultures, discard their prejudices, breakout of their shells and do work in the field. This has made the students of sociology turn pale. I always think that the syllabus of any sociology course must have been adapted to the service opportunity that Rotary rolled out over the years and needless to say that we are constantly innovating and upgrading our service menu. I would say that the International Peace Scholarship Programme is one area where no other organisation has dared to invest its resources and the earlier Group Study Exchange Programme was unique in building bridges of friendship over many continents. Rotary came to India in 1920 and it was only in 1921 that Mr. S C Rudra, an Indian, was admitted as a member. Though women were admitted in clubs from 1989, it was in 1991-1992 that women started occupying leadership positions as Club Presidents and the first woman District Governor in India came during 1998-1999. Women liked to join Rotary because they knew that the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Women in Rotary! Why bring it up? It’s always been this way, isn’t it? It’s true that the history of Women in Rotary is still being written. Though every competitive position, except that of RI President, has been held by women and we cannot ignore the fact that women’s influence on Rotary is like the scented flame of the alabaster lamp, filling the organisation with the light of their benign influence and warmth of their charming cordiality. Women ask, “Why be a member of so many social organisations, when just one membership in Rotary gives us all that is there and much more?” Yes, today woman are finding the place where nothing is impossible. Rotary has given that feeling within them that they can discover new oceans and all they have to do is to have the courage to lose sight of the shore. Today the achievers, the movers and shakers of great organisations and nations are women. They know that they have to motivate themselves otherwise they will have to be content with mediocrity no matter how impressive their talents might be. Rotary through its members gives the perfect setting to motivate yourself since everyone helps each other in the road to happiness and there are no winners or losers here.
I look forward to the day when I will no longer be asked to give this speech about “Women in Rotary.’ I look forward to the day when we will all be just Rotarians.
20 May 2017