{"id":14580,"date":"2018-02-14T15:53:34","date_gmt":"2018-02-14T20:53:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/?p=14580"},"modified":"2021-03-08T15:57:17","modified_gmt":"2021-03-08T20:57:17","slug":"weve-come-a-long-way-babyhavent-we","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/weve-come-a-long-way-babyhavent-we\/","title":{"rendered":"We\u2019ve Come A Long Way, Baby\u2026Haven\u2019t We?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>February\/March 2018<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">As Maine goes, so goes the nation. It sounds so <strong>encouraging<\/strong>. But is that true with <strong>women\u2019s rights<\/strong>? Prepare for some surprising facts across the decades\u2026<\/span><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p2\"><span class=\"s1\">By Olivia Gunn Kostishevskaya<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; width: 100%; height: 400px;\" src=\"\/\/e.issuu.com\/embed.html?backgroundColor=%23e4e4e4&amp;d=fm18_flipbook&amp;hideIssuuLogo=true&amp;pageNumber=60&amp;u=portlandmagazine\" width=\"300\" height=\"150\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14602\" src=\"http:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/FM18-Women-sm.jpg\" alt=\"First Ladies Lady Bird Johnson, Rosalynn Carter, and Betty Ford, International Women\u2019s Year presiding officer Bella Abzug, and Torch of Freedom relay runners at the opening ceremonies of the National Women\u2019s Conference, Houston, November 1977\" width=\"468\" height=\"253\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/FM18-Women-sm.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/FM18-Women-sm-300x162.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/FM18-Women-sm-200x108.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/FM18-Women-sm-620x335.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 468px) 100vw, 468px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s2\">In front of the departure gate of the Portland Jetport on a crisp November morning, 19 Maine women get out of cars and taxis and assemble in the airport lobby.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s3\">Imagine: Here is Merle Nelson greeting Sharon Rene Talbot and Linda S. Dyer. Next comes Vivian Massey, JoAnn Fritsche, Kim Matthews, Anne Hazelwood-Brady, Nan Stone, Cynthia Murray-Beliveau, Lois Reckitt, Constance Depew, Kate McQueen, Paulette Dodge, Claire Hussey, Janet Mills, and Pat Ryan. (If you or one of your relatives were in attendance, let us know at editor@portlandmonthly.com.) <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s3\">Should one of them need to use the airport \u201cpowder room\u201d before takeoff, she\u2019ll have to pay a nickel to enter, though access to the men\u2019s restroom is free of charge\u2013just one of many frank injustices that have turned a slow burn into something very hot.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s1\">The destination? Come fly with them as they lift into the flight levels and soar over Boston and New York and into a brighter future. These Downeast ladies feel a rush of excitement, because they\u2019re heading to Houston, Texas, as Maine\u2019s delegates to the first and only U.S. government-funded conference of its kind. <strong>The 1977 National Women\u2019s Conference<\/strong>, attended by 20,000 leaders from across the country, will be a unifying assembly to address neglected issues from equality, to education, to reproductive rights. Though it sounds like the start of a kick-ass new Netflix series, this legendary trip will be an igniting spark. It lights up an organization called the Maine Women\u2019s Lobby over 2,000 miles away. As you read this, the Lobby is celebrating its 40th year <\/span><span class=\"s2\">in search of justice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s2\"><strong>Up in the Air<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\"><span class=\"s2\">With ABBA\u2019s \u201cDancing Queen\u201d playing in her head, State Representative Lois Reckitt, who will later become Vice President Executive of the National Organization for Women, looked out her Boeing 727 window to see the clouds and cities below as she rushed south.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt was very energizing and exciting,\u201d she says. \u201cEvery time the plane stopped\u201d at connecting cities on the way to Houston, \u201cmore delegates got on,\u201d from other states. \u201cThe plane felt full of us.\u201d She ruefully remembers the flight attendants\u2013\u201cwho I fear may still have been referred to as stewardesses at the time\u201d\u2013were supportive of the mission. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s2\">It wasn\u2019t all smooth sailing. Once in Houston, the group arrived at the hotel to find a conference for overwhelmingly male building contractors refusing to leave.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt was really a mess trying to get into the hotel. I remember Bella Abzug (chair of the National Commission on the Observance of International Women\u2019s Year and head of the conference) came tearing into the lobby, practically mowing me down.\u201d These women meant business. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s2\"><strong>The Task at Hand<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\"><span class=\"s2\">Specifically, issues on the table for the 19 Mainers covered the Equal Rights Amendment, shelters for domestic violence survivors, sexual assault crisis services, equal pay, and pregnancy discrimination. Reckitt says there was one major contention: whether or not to openly support lesbian rights. \u201cThere was some concern it would hinder our organizing attempts,\u201d she says. \u201cAt the conference, there was an effort by some to identify everybody who wasn\u2019t \u2018out.\u2019 There was a code that if you wore a yellow smile button, you were either lesbian or supportive of the issues.\u201d Reckitt, who had just recently come out, remembers stepping into an elevator and being handed a button. \u201cIt felt like a safe place. The \u2018antis\u2019 were all the way across town at some rally after not being able to get enough delegates to make any difference at all,\u201d she says with a laugh. The turning point on the gay rights issue was when Betty Friedan, co-founder and president of the National Organization of Women, who was known to take an anti-LGBT stance, stood up and spoke in support.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s2\"><strong>Return Flight<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\"><span class=\"s2\">The world had changed during the conference. Now it was time to bring change back to Maine.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s4\">The delegates landed back home with a \u201cgentle, optimistic energy fueled by unity of purpose,\u201d says Maine Attorney General Mills. After the trip to Houston, the Attorney General\u2019s Office partnered with the ACLU to hold the first Maine Women\u2019s Conference at Colby College. \u201cOur original meetings were small gatherings in someone\u2019s apartment or someone\u2019s office, conniving in rooms to raise money, to spread the word, and to develop some presence, status, and respect in the halls of the State House.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s3\">During the 1978 Maine Legislative Session, the group worked to fund battered women\u2019s shelters. \u201cThey had testified, written letters, found sponsors, agreed on a budget\u2013all of it,\u201d says Maine Women\u2019s Lobby Executive Director, Eliza Townsend (above right). \u201cBut, when the session concluded, there was no money appropriated for the shelters. The group was told that in the middle of the night when the decisions were reached, there wasn\u2019t anyone present representing them.\u201d After the defeat of the Battered Women\u2019s Projects (BWP) in 1978, the women \u201clearned, regrouped, and vowed never again\u201d would they be unrepresented during a legislative vote. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s2\">At the time, it wasn\u2019t just the halls of Augusta lacking female representation. At the<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>Maine Women\u2019s Lobby Celebration in 2014, Mills described the dichotomy of the time: movements like women\u2019s rights continued to gain intensity, but women continued to be underrepresented in the workplace. In 1978, 92 students graduated the University of Maine School of Law\u2013only 21 of them women (Last year, women made up just under half of the class.) \u201cThere were even fewer role models for women who wished to work construction, in the trades, or in law enforcement,\u201d says Mills. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s2\"><strong>A Different World<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\"><span class=\"s2\">Anyone who considers this nostalgia isn\u2019t keeping her eyes open. Yes, this was a different time, though recent headlines do have us wondering just how far we\u2019ve come. Three years after this flight, the Portland International Jetport still maintained pay toilets in the women\u2019s restroom, but not the men\u2019s. The reasoning? Women\u2019s toilets required more cleaning. Other states across the country had already banned the practice in the mid-1970s, following efforts by women\u2019s groups and the Committee to End Pay Toilets in America. In a 1992 <em>Portland Press Herald<\/em> article, former Portland mayor and city councilor Linda Abromson recognized the city\u2019s removal of those toilets as her first legislative victory. Across town, The Portland Country Club hosted a men-only tee time that excluded female members. Finally, in 1991, the club amended those by-laws to \u201cafford women the same rights of membership as men, including the same access to tee times.\u201d \u201cThe club leaders recognized the rules and by-laws were archaic,\u201d says member Kathy Drake. While women\u2019s pay toilets and golf course restrictions gall today, they pale in comparison to the darker issues the MWL faced in state legislation. It wasn\u2019t until 1985 that the Spousal Exemption, which did not recognize marital rape as a crime, was removed from Maine\u2019s sexual assault laws. In addition, language was added that no longer made rape a \u201clesser crime\u201d if it occurred on a date. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p7\"><span class=\"s2\"><strong>The Road Ahead<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\"><span class=\"s3\">In a state that ranked ninth-highest nationally in homicides against women by men in a 2013 Violence Policy Center study, change hasn\u2019t gotten any easier. Domestic violence continuously makes up 50 percent of these homicides each year. \u201cAs you can see from the #MeToo movement, we still have a lot of work to do on attitudes and social structures,\u201d says Townsend. \u201cIt\u2019s the complex nature of the issues and the tendency in the media to reduce the issues to sex and body parts\u2013or even something as simple as the five-cent bathroom fee\u2013though it is appalling.\u201d Much of the lobby\u2019s work centers on economic stability and violence against women. \u201cMoney is the overarching issue above anything else,\u201d says Townsend. \u201cWhether you have money, what you have to do to get money, and whether or not you stay in a relationship that\u2019s not working\u2013everything is shaped by money.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s3\">There has been positive change. Townsend notes the expansion of Maine\u2019s Family Medical Leave law to include domestic partners in 2007 as a highlight. In 2015, L.D. 921 was passed to provide more extensive protections for victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in the workplace. Penalties increased for employers who fire employees needing to take time off to attend court dates, doctor appointments, and other related burdens. But as Maine continues to evolve, new challenges emerge. According to the Immigrant Resource Center of Maine, there are now approximately 7,500 East African immigrants living in Androscoggin County, and around 5,000 living in Cumberland County. In 2014, Maine saw 158 cases of violence against East African women, of which 60 percent were domestic violence and 30 percent were cases of sexual assault. Mufalo Chitam, Executive Director of the Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition and former MWL board member, believes inclusivity of immigrant women is key to progress, along with efforts to foster trust between communities and institutions such as law enforcement. \u201cWe need to harness the full potential of immigrants with skills and education to thrive, exploring ways to leverage the new untapped talent in our state.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s2\">It was determination, passion, and devotion that 19 Maine women tapped into 40 years ago on an historical journey to Houston, returning home inspired and ready to work. It was the same energy that brought over 10,000 women and men to the streets of Portland in January 2017 for the Women\u2019s March. Looking back on the 1977 rally, Attorney General Mills says a Margaret Mead quote comes to mind: \u201cNever doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it\u2019s the only thing that ever has.\u201d She ascribes it to \u201cthe mischievous band of determined women, ages 18 to 64, who listened to rousing speeches in Houston, and the many others who dug into issues at the 1978 statewide conference\u2026\u201d As for Reckitt\u2019s proudest moment of the Maine Women\u2019s Lobby? \u201cWe\u2019ve lasted 40 freaking years. That\u2019s really kind of amazing when you think about.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\">Photos below by Kim Matthews.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-14580 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/weve-come-a-long-way-babyhavent-we\/coretta-scott-king-national-womens-conference-photo-by-kim-matthews-1977\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"404\" height=\"322\" src=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Coretta-Scott-King-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977..jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Coretta-Scott-King-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977..jpg 404w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Coretta-Scott-King-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.-300x239.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Coretta-Scott-King-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.-200x159.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 404px) 100vw, 404px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/weve-come-a-long-way-babyhavent-we\/attorney-general-janet-mills-national-womens-conference-photo-by-kim-matthews-1977\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"412\" height=\"337\" src=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Attorney-General-Janet-Mills-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977..jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Attorney-General-Janet-Mills-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977..jpg 412w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Attorney-General-Janet-Mills-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.-300x245.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Attorney-General-Janet-Mills-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.-200x164.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 412px) 100vw, 412px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/weve-come-a-long-way-babyhavent-we\/nan-stone-and-kate-mcqueen-national-womens-conference-photo-by-kim-matthews-1977\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"571\" height=\"371\" src=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Nan-Stone-and-Kate-McQueen-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977..jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Nan-Stone-and-Kate-McQueen-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977..jpg 571w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Nan-Stone-and-Kate-McQueen-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.-300x195.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Nan-Stone-and-Kate-McQueen-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.-200x130.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Nan-Stone-and-Kate-McQueen-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.-539x350.jpg 539w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 571px) 100vw, 571px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/weve-come-a-long-way-babyhavent-we\/relay-runners-arriving-with-the-torch-the-runners-started-in-seneca-falls-ny-where-u-s-womens-rights-convention-was-held-in-1848-photo-by-kim-mattews-1977\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"462\" height=\"329\" src=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Relay-runners-arriving-with-the-torch.-The-runners-started-in-Seneca-Falls-NY-where-U.S.-women\u2019s-rights-convention-was-held-in-1848.Photo-by-Kim-Mattews-1977..jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Relay-runners-arriving-with-the-torch.-The-runners-started-in-Seneca-Falls-NY-where-U.S.-women\u2019s-rights-convention-was-held-in-1848.Photo-by-Kim-Mattews-1977..jpg 462w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Relay-runners-arriving-with-the-torch.-The-runners-started-in-Seneca-Falls-NY-where-U.S.-women\u2019s-rights-convention-was-held-in-1848.Photo-by-Kim-Mattews-1977.-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Relay-runners-arriving-with-the-torch.-The-runners-started-in-Seneca-Falls-NY-where-U.S.-women\u2019s-rights-convention-was-held-in-1848.Photo-by-Kim-Mattews-1977.-200x142.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 462px) 100vw, 462px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/weve-come-a-long-way-babyhavent-we\/vivian-massey-national-womens-conferencephoto-by-kim-matthews-1977\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"496\" height=\"379\" src=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Vivian-Massey-National-Women\u2019s-ConferencePhoto-by-Kim-Matthews-1977..jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Vivian-Massey-National-Women\u2019s-ConferencePhoto-by-Kim-Matthews-1977..jpg 496w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Vivian-Massey-National-Women\u2019s-ConferencePhoto-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.-300x229.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Vivian-Massey-National-Women\u2019s-ConferencePhoto-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.-200x153.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Vivian-Massey-National-Women\u2019s-ConferencePhoto-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.-458x350.jpg 458w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 496px) 100vw, 496px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/weve-come-a-long-way-babyhavent-we\/national-womens-conference-photo-by-kim-matthews-1977-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"417\" height=\"335\" src=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.-2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.-2.jpg 417w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.-2-300x241.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.-2-200x161.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 417px) 100vw, 417px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/weve-come-a-long-way-babyhavent-we\/national-womens-conference-photo-by-kim-mattews-1977\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"472\" height=\"381\" src=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Mattews-1977..jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Mattews-1977..jpg 472w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Mattews-1977.-300x242.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Mattews-1977.-200x161.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Mattews-1977.-434x350.jpg 434w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 472px) 100vw, 472px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/weve-come-a-long-way-babyhavent-we\/rene-talbot-national-womens-conference-photo-by-kim-matthews-1977\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"438\" height=\"327\" src=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Rene-Talbot-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977..jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Rene-Talbot-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977..jpg 438w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Rene-Talbot-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Rene-Talbot-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.-200x149.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 438px) 100vw, 438px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/weve-come-a-long-way-babyhavent-we\/national-womens-conference-photo-by-kim-matthews-1977\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"561\" height=\"372\" src=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977..jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" 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src=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Betty-Friedan-Co-founder-and-first-president-of-the-National-Organization-for-Women-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Betty-Friedan-Co-founder-and-first-president-of-the-National-Organization-for-Women-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.jpg 477w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Betty-Friedan-Co-founder-and-first-president-of-the-National-Organization-for-Women-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977-300x235.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Betty-Friedan-Co-founder-and-first-president-of-the-National-Organization-for-Women-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977-200x157.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/Betty-Friedan-Co-founder-and-first-president-of-the-National-Organization-for-Women-National-Women\u2019s-Conference.Photo-by-Kim-Matthews-1977-446x350.jpg 446w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 477px) 100vw, 477px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/weve-come-a-long-way-babyhavent-we\/national-womens-conferencephoto-by-kim-matthews-1977\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"379\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/National-Women\u2019s-ConferencePhoto-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/National-Women\u2019s-ConferencePhoto-by-Kim-Matthews-1977.jpg 379w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/National-Women\u2019s-ConferencePhoto-by-Kim-Matthews-1977-203x300.jpg 203w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/National-Women\u2019s-ConferencePhoto-by-Kim-Matthews-1977-200x296.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/National-Women\u2019s-ConferencePhoto-by-Kim-Matthews-1977-237x350.jpg 237w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 379px) 100vw, 379px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl>\n\t\t\t<br style='clear: both' \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>February\/March 2018 As Maine goes, so goes the nation. It sounds so encouraging. But is that true with women\u2019s rights? Prepare for some surprising facts across the decades\u2026 By Olivia Gunn Kostishevskaya In front of the departure gate of the Portland Jetport on a crisp November morning, 19 Maine women get out of cars and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14584,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[213,215,191,214,127,212,217,216],"class_list":["post-14580","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","tag-metoo","tag-equal-rights","tag-februarymarch-2018","tag-janet-mills","tag-maine","tag-maine-womens-lobby","tag-womens-march","tag-womens-rights"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14580","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14580"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14580\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20038,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14580\/revisions\/20038"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14584"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14580"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14580"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14580"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}