Katherine Spillar is the

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

executive editor of ''

Ms. Ms. (American English) or Ms (British English; normally , but also , or when unstressed)''Oxford English Dictionary'' online, Ms, ''n.2''. Etymology: "An orthographic and phonetic blend of Mrs ''n.1'' and miss ''n.2'' Compare mizz ''n.'' The pr ...

'' and co-founder and executive director of the

Feminist Majority Foundation The Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF) is a non-profit organization headquartered in Arlington County, Virginia, whose stated mission is to advance non-violence and women's power, equality, and economic development. The name Feminist Majority com ...

(FMF) and the Feminist Majority.

Early life

Katherine Spillar grew up in Texas. Her mother, Edna Hughes, was a nurse who used her GI benefits to attend college and then medical school. She met Spillar's father, Bliss Spillar, while they were studying for medical school together and the two moved to San Antonio.

Education

Spillar graduated magna cum laude from

Texas Christian University Texas Christian University (TCU) is a private research university in Fort Worth, Texas. It was established in 1873 by brothers Addison and Randolph Clark as the Add-Ran Male & Female College. It is affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples ...

(TCU) in three years with a degree in urban studies. She holds a Master of Science interdisciplinary degree in Economics and Urban Studies from Trinity University.

Political activism

When asked when she had become a feminist, Spillar told an interviewer, "I think I was born a feminist," although she later added that she probably discovered the term "feminism" during her undergraduate years at TCU. After the bid to ratify the

Equal Rights Amendment The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. Proponents assert it would end legal distinctions between men and ...

failed on June 30, 1982, Spillar became active in the feminist movement. In 1983, she served as president of the

National Organization for Women The National Organization for Women (NOW) is an American feminist organization. Founded in 1966, it is legally a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S. states and in Washington, D.C. It ...

Los Angeles, then the largest chapter in the nation. During the four terms of her presidency, Spillar made progress on a number of fronts. An expert in

anti-abortion violence Anti-abortion violence is violence committed against individuals and organizations that perform abortions or provide abortion counseling. Incidents of violence have included destruction of property, including vandalism; crimes against people, in ...

, Spillar created a system for defending abortion clinics in Los Angeles and Orange County, inspiring thousands of volunteers to escort women safely past protestors. And in the wake of the beating of motorist Rodney King, she worked to establish the National Center for Women and Policing. In 1992, under Spillar and

Dolores Huerta Dolores Clara Fernández Huerta (born April 10, 1930) is an American labor leader and civil rights activist who, with Cesar Chavez, is a co-founder of the National Farmworkers Association, which later merged with the Agricultural Workers Organiz ...

's leadership, the Feminist Majority Foundation launched its Feminization of Power campaign, intended to inspire women to run for political office. Spillar became executive editor of ''Ms.'' Magazine in 2005 and oversaw the creation of the ''Ms.'' Magazine blog, the expansion of international reporting, and the ''Ms.'' in the Classroom program, a digital platform that provides access to the magazine for college campuses around the world.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Spillar, Katherine Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Texas Christian University alumni American magazine editors American women journalists Women magazine editors American feminists 21st-century American women