Maura McNiel
Encyclopedia
Maura McNiel is an American feminist whose actions paved the way for women's studies
, modern social work
, advocacy on behalf of abused women, promotion of the Equal Rights Amendment
, and passage of Title IX
. McNiel was active for over forty years in the Dallas women's movement.
Maura McNiel was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
on April 11, 1921 where she learned the importance of individual rights
from the integration of Minneapolis area schools. In 1941, McNiel attended University of Minnesota
in Minneapolis. Moving to the Dallas area in the early 1950s, she became active within Dallas political and feminist groups, and was instrumental in the founding of the Women's Center of Dallas (now closed).
An ardent and early adopter of feminism
in the 1960s, McNiel joined several women’s groups focused on expanding women’s roles and eliminating prevalent stereotype
s. She became a member of the National Organization of Women and People for the American Way
, seeking to expand her opportunities in the working world as a recent college graduate. Growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, McNiel witnessed changes like desegregation
, which motivated her to improve the rights and benefits of the disenfranchised.
She married Thomas H. McNiel on February 1, 1952. They were divorced in Dallas on July 16, 1991 for unknown reasons.
McNiel became very involved in the Dallas feminist movement in the late 1960s through the 1980s. Her involvement in Women for Change, the Domestic Violence Interaction Alliance of Dallas (DVIA), and EXPLORE- a women’s identity group - expanded her interest in local politics. McNiel actively lobbied in Dallas City Hall
for the rights and protections of battered women, which led to the creation of the Women’s Center of Dallas- a resource for local women, most notably financial assistance, legal assistance, housing, and job training to victims of domestic violence
. The Women’s Center in Dallas was modeled after established organizations nationwide which acted as a means to remove battered women from troubled homes, and into a safe haven
of their own.
Maura McNiel also worked for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment
of 1972 by speaking at local assemblies and rallies across Texas
, However, the amendment fell three short of the number of states needed to ratify it. McNiel participated in other campaigns that proved more successful, such as the passage of Title IX in 1972. While not providing the blanket coverage the Equal Rights Amendment would have, Title IX did grant the rights of educational freedom for women that would have resounding repercussions, expanding into the creation of more women’s sports teams and athletic scholarship
s at the collegiate level.
In 1978, McNiel won the Women Helping Women award from the Women’s Center of Dallas. In 1984, the Women Helping Women awards were renamed "The Maura’s" in honor of McNiel’s contributions to the advancement of women in society. In 1985, Maura McNiel was nominated for admission into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame. In 1985 the Women’s Center of Dallas renamed their annual Women Helping Women awards to the honorary Maura Women Helping Women awards.
Women's studies
Women's studies, also known as feminist studies, is an interdisciplinary academic field which explores politics, society and history from an intersectional, multicultural women's perspective...
, modern social work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
, advocacy on behalf of abused women, promotion of the Equal Rights Amendment
Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution. The ERA was originally written by Alice Paul and, in 1923, it was introduced in the Congress for the first time...
, and passage of Title IX
Title IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a United States law, enacted on June 23, 1972, that amended Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 2002 it was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, in honor of its principal author Congresswoman Mink, but is most...
. McNiel was active for over forty years in the Dallas women's movement.
Early life
Maura McNiel was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
on April 11, 1921 where she learned the importance of individual rights
Individual rights
Group rights are rights held by a group rather than by its members separately, or rights held only by individuals within the specified group; in contrast, individual rights are rights held by individual people regardless of their group membership or lack thereof...
from the integration of Minneapolis area schools. In 1941, McNiel attended University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in Minneapolis. Moving to the Dallas area in the early 1950s, she became active within Dallas political and feminist groups, and was instrumental in the founding of the Women's Center of Dallas (now closed).
An ardent and early adopter of feminism
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
in the 1960s, McNiel joined several women’s groups focused on expanding women’s roles and eliminating prevalent stereotype
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
s. She became a member of the National Organization of Women and People for the American Way
People For the American Way
People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy group in the United States. Under U.S. tax code, People For the American Way is organized as a tax-exempt 501 non-profit organization.-Purpose:...
, seeking to expand her opportunities in the working world as a recent college graduate. Growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, McNiel witnessed changes like desegregation
Desegregation
Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups usually referring to races. This is most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement, both before and after the United States Supreme Court's decision in...
, which motivated her to improve the rights and benefits of the disenfranchised.
She married Thomas H. McNiel on February 1, 1952. They were divorced in Dallas on July 16, 1991 for unknown reasons.
Involvement in Dallas politics
McNiel became very involved in the Dallas feminist movement in the late 1960s through the 1980s. Her involvement in Women for Change, the Domestic Violence Interaction Alliance of Dallas (DVIA), and EXPLORE- a women’s identity group - expanded her interest in local politics. McNiel actively lobbied in Dallas City Hall
Dallas City Hall
Dallas City Hall is the seat of Dallas municipal government, located at 1500 Marilla in the Government District of downtown Dallas, Texas...
for the rights and protections of battered women, which led to the creation of the Women’s Center of Dallas- a resource for local women, most notably financial assistance, legal assistance, housing, and job training to victims of domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
. The Women’s Center in Dallas was modeled after established organizations nationwide which acted as a means to remove battered women from troubled homes, and into a safe haven
Safe haven
Safe haven may refer to:* Safe harbor, a harbor or haven which provides safety from weather or attack, or an analogous situation* Safe Havens, a syndicated comic strip drawn by cartoonist Bill Holbrook...
of their own.
Involvement in national politics
Maura McNiel also worked for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment
Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution. The ERA was originally written by Alice Paul and, in 1923, it was introduced in the Congress for the first time...
of 1972 by speaking at local assemblies and rallies across Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, However, the amendment fell three short of the number of states needed to ratify it. McNiel participated in other campaigns that proved more successful, such as the passage of Title IX in 1972. While not providing the blanket coverage the Equal Rights Amendment would have, Title IX did grant the rights of educational freedom for women that would have resounding repercussions, expanding into the creation of more women’s sports teams and athletic scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
s at the collegiate level.
Awards
In 1978, McNiel won the Women Helping Women award from the Women’s Center of Dallas. In 1984, the Women Helping Women awards were renamed "The Maura’s" in honor of McNiel’s contributions to the advancement of women in society. In 1985, Maura McNiel was nominated for admission into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame. In 1985 the Women’s Center of Dallas renamed their annual Women Helping Women awards to the honorary Maura Women Helping Women awards.
See also
- Equal Rights AmendmentEqual Rights AmendmentThe Equal Rights Amendment was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution. The ERA was originally written by Alice Paul and, in 1923, it was introduced in the Congress for the first time...
- History of feminismHistory of feminismThe history of feminism involves the story of feminist movements and of feminist thinkers. Depending on time, culture and country, feminists around the world have sometimes had different causes and goals...
- Title IXTitle IXTitle IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a United States law, enacted on June 23, 1972, that amended Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 2002 it was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, in honor of its principal author Congresswoman Mink, but is most...
- History of women in the United StatesHistory of women in the United StatesFor Women's suffrage see also History of women's suffrage in the United States.For lesbians see also lesbian American history.This is a history of women in the United States.-1500–1600:...