Jacqueline Ceballos
Encyclopedia
Jacqueline Ceballos is an American feminist and activist. Ceballos is the former president of New York Chapter of the National Organization for Women
and founder of the Veteran Feminists of America
organization which documents the history of Second wave feminism and pioneer feminists. Ceballos' 1971 debate on sexual politics with Norman Mailer
and Germaine Greer
is recorded in the 1979 documentary Town Bloody Hall.
, Louisiana
on September 8 1925. The daughter of Louis Michot and Adele Domas, Ceballos was the middle child of seven children. She attended public school in Lafayette
and studied music at Southwestern Louisiana Institute. After majoring in voice, Ceballos moved to New York City to pursue a career in opera.
In 1951 Ceballos married Colombian businessman Alvaro Ceballos with whom she had four children. After they had moved to Bogota, Colombia in 1958, Ceballos founded the city's first opera company. During the break-up of her marriage, Ceballos read Betty Friedan
's The Feminine Mystique
which she later said inspired her toward activism in the feminist movement.
(NOW). During the following years she was an activist, organized demonstrations, and became a board member of the New York chapter of NOW.
In 1971, Ceballos served as president of New York NOW. She appeared in the April 30 1971 town hall debate titled A Dialogue on Women's Liberation with Norman Mailer, Germaine Greer, Diana Trilling, Jacqueline Ceballos, Jill Johnston. The debate was recorded and released as D. A. Pennebaker
's 1979 documentary film Town Bloody Hall. During the debate, Ceballos made a case that women had the right and duty "to have a voice in changing the world that is changing them." Speaking with anger against the image of women in advertising, Ceballos said, "She gets an orgasm when she gets the shiny floor."
Ceballos became the NOW's Eastern Regional Director in 1971 and served as its representative to the 1972 Democratic National Convention
. Ceballos cofounded the Women's Forum in 1974 and was the organization's first Executive Director. She later served as NOW's representative at the United Nations International Women's Conference. Along with dozens of other prominent feminists, Ceballos also helped found the National Women's Political Caucus
.
and other feminist pioneers founded the Veteran Feminists of America (VFA). The founding principle of the organization was to preserve the history of Second Wave feminism as well as to honor the women and men who pioneered the movement.
As of 2009, Ceballos lives in Phoenix, Arizona
.
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
and founder of the Veteran Feminists of America
Veteran Feminists of America
Veteran Feminists of America is a non-profit organization based in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, for veterans of the Second Wave of the feminist movement...
organization which documents the history of Second wave feminism and pioneer feminists. Ceballos' 1971 debate on sexual politics with Norman Mailer
Norman Mailer
Norman Kingsley Mailer was an American novelist, journalist, essayist, poet, playwright, screenwriter, and film director.Along with Truman Capote, Joan Didion, Hunter S...
and Germaine Greer
Germaine Greer
Germaine Greer is an Australian writer, academic, journalist and scholar of early modern English literature, widely regarded as one of the most significant feminist voices of the later 20th century....
is recorded in the 1979 documentary Town Bloody Hall.
Early life
Ceballos was born Jacqueline Michot in MamouMamou, Louisiana
Mamou is a town in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 3,566 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mamou is located at ....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
on September 8 1925. The daughter of Louis Michot and Adele Domas, Ceballos was the middle child of seven children. She attended public school in Lafayette
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
and studied music at Southwestern Louisiana Institute. After majoring in voice, Ceballos moved to New York City to pursue a career in opera.
In 1951 Ceballos married Colombian businessman Alvaro Ceballos with whom she had four children. After they had moved to Bogota, Colombia in 1958, Ceballos founded the city's first opera company. During the break-up of her marriage, Ceballos read Betty Friedan
Betty Friedan
Betty Friedan was an American writer, activist, and feminist.A leading figure in the Women's Movement in the United States, her 1963 book The Feminine Mystique is often credited with sparking the "second wave" of American feminism in the twentieth century...
's The Feminine Mystique
The Feminine Mystique
The Feminine Mystique, published February 19, 1963, by W.W. Norton and Co., is a nonfiction book written by Betty Friedan. It is widely credited with sparking the beginning of second-wave feminism in the United States....
which she later said inspired her toward activism in the feminist movement.
Activism
In 1967 Ceballos returned with her four children to New York City where she joined the National Organization for WomenNational Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
(NOW). During the following years she was an activist, organized demonstrations, and became a board member of the New York chapter of NOW.
In 1971, Ceballos served as president of New York NOW. She appeared in the April 30 1971 town hall debate titled A Dialogue on Women's Liberation with Norman Mailer, Germaine Greer, Diana Trilling, Jacqueline Ceballos, Jill Johnston. The debate was recorded and released as D. A. Pennebaker
D. A. Pennebaker
Donn Alan Pennebaker is an American documentary filmmaker and one of the pioneers of Direct Cinema/Cinéma vérité. Performing arts and politics are his primary subjects.-Biography:...
's 1979 documentary film Town Bloody Hall. During the debate, Ceballos made a case that women had the right and duty "to have a voice in changing the world that is changing them." Speaking with anger against the image of women in advertising, Ceballos said, "She gets an orgasm when she gets the shiny floor."
Ceballos became the NOW's Eastern Regional Director in 1971 and served as its representative to the 1972 Democratic National Convention
1972 Democratic National Convention
The 1972 Democratic National Convention was the presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party for the 1972 presidential election. It was held at Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida on July 10–13, 1972....
. Ceballos cofounded the Women's Forum in 1974 and was the organization's first Executive Director. She later served as NOW's representative at the United Nations International Women's Conference. Along with dozens of other prominent feminists, Ceballos also helped found the National Women's Political Caucus
National Women's Political Caucus
The National Women's Political Caucus is a national bipartisan grassroots organization in the United States dedicated to recruiting, training, and supporting women who seek elected and appointed offices....
.
Veteran Feminists of America
In 1975 Ceballos retired from public activism to start a business. Ceballos opened a public relations firm to promote feminist education courses and she began the New Feminist Talent speaker's bureau. After the rise of anti-feminism during the 1980s, Ceballos with Dorothy Senerchia, Barbara SeamanBarbara Seaman
Barbara Seaman was an American author, activist, and journalist, and a principal founder of the women's health feminism movement.-Early years:Seaman, whose parents, Henry J...
and other feminist pioneers founded the Veteran Feminists of America (VFA). The founding principle of the organization was to preserve the history of Second Wave feminism as well as to honor the women and men who pioneered the movement.
As of 2009, Ceballos lives in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
.