Rotary International Admits Women as Members
In many Rotary Clubs throughout the world, wives of male members were affectionately called "Rotary Anns." This designation was never one of disparagement, but rather grew out of an interesting historical occasion.
Ann Gundaker & Ann Brunnier
The year was 1914 when San Francisco Rotarians boarded a special train to attend the Rotary convention being held in Houston. In those days few wives attended Rotary events, and until the train stopped in Los Angeles, the only woman aboard was the wife of Rotarian Bru Brunnier. As the train picked up additional convention-bound delegates, Mrs. Ann Brunnier was introduced as the Rotarian's Ann. This title soon became "Rotary Ann." Since the clubs of the West were inviting the Rotarians to hold their next convention in San Francisco, a number of songs and stunts were organized which would be performed in Houston. One of the Rotarians wrote a "Rotary Ann" chant. On the train's arrival at the Houston depot, a delegation greeted the West Coast Rotarians. One of the greeters was Lancaster native Guy Gundaker of Philadelphia, whose wife was also named Ann. During the rousing demonstration, someone started the Rotary Ann chant. The two petite ladies, Ann Brunnier and Ann Gundaker, were hoisted to the men's shoulders and paraded about the hall. The group loved the title given to the two women named Ann. Immediately the same term of endearment was used for all of the wives in attendance, and the name "Rotary Ann" was here to stay. Guy Gundaker became president of Rotary International in 1923 and Bru Brunnier was elected president in 1952. Thus, each of the two original Rotary Anns became the "first ladies of Rotary International."
For many years, the only women in Rotary were Rotary Anns, wives of Rotarians.
In 1912 and in 1923, requests for Rotary Clubs for Women were rejected by RI. The term Women of Rotary was limited to the wives, mothers, and daughters of Rotarians. Women of Rotary were allowed to wear Rotary jewelry. That was it.
Until 1989, the Constitution and Bylaws of Rotary International stated that Rotary club membership was for males only. In 1978, the Rotary Club of Duarte, California, invited three women to become members. The RI board withdrew the charter of that Club for violation of the RI Constitution. The Club brought suit against RI claiming a violation of a state civil rights law that prevents discrimination of any form in business establishments or public accommodations. The appeals court and the California Supreme Court supported the Duarte position that Rotary could not remove the Club's charter merely for inducting women. The United States Supreme Court upheld the California court indicating that Rotary Clubs do have a "business purpose" and are in some ways public-type organizations. This action in 1987 allowed women to become Rotarians in any jurisdiction having similar "public accommodation" statutes.
Dr. Sylvia Witlock
An appeal to the United States Supreme Court resulted in the decision handed down on May 4, 1987 that Rotary Clubs may not exclude women as members. Rotary
then issued a policy statement that any United States Rotary Club could admit qualified
women into membership. Dr. Sylvia Whitlock was elected president of the reinstated Duarte,
California Rotary Club in 1987-88 to become the first woman to be a president of a Rotary.
Rotary Club of Marin Sunrise, California (formerly Larkspur Landing), was chartered on May 28, 1987. It became the first club after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling to have women as charter members. At the first meeting of the Council on Legislation after the U.S. Supreme Court decision (in 1989), the bylaws were officially changed to remove the "male only" language in the standard Rotary bylaws for Rotary Clubs around the world.
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