Mission: To promote gender equality, protect reproductive rights, and oppose violence in all forms.
Founded: In 1987, by a group of activists that included former three-term NOW president Eleanor Smeal.
Organizational Structure: The FMF is geared primarily towards research, advocacy, direct action, and campus organizing. Unlike NOW, which is made up of 550 local chapters, nearly all of FMF's activities are conducted through its national offices in DC and Los Angeles. The Feminist Majority Foundation purchased Ms. Magazine in late 2001, and has been publishing it quarterly ever since.
Supporters Say: The FMF excels at what it does, and its web site is the best feminism resource one is likely to find online. FMF is also the only major feminist organization to which one can make tax-deductible donations.
Critics Say: I haven't found anything of interest that critics have said about FMF that they have not also said about other feminist organizations.
I Say: With a news clipping service, jobs database, magazine, research archive, and a slew of national direct action campaigns, FMF offers more research and e-activism resources than almost anyone. The only drawback is that there aren't very many opportunities for local grassroots organizing within FMF; unless you're a college student interested in participating in a campus chapter or live near one of FMF's two national offices, your fingers will probably do most of the walking.
