Feminism for the Health of It

An historical feminist analysis of United States health care, social issues, global politics and war, higher education, economics, communication, and roles of women and men by one of the leaders of the women's movement during the 1960s and 1970s.

This book makes available the significant historical feminist perspectives of Wilma Scott Heide, the third President of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and one of the leaders of the women's movement during the 1960s and 1970s. In her unique and engaging fashion, Heide brought forth a sharp witted analysis of United States health care, social issues, global politics and war, higher education, economics, communication, and roles of women and men - an analysis that is still pertinent half of a decade later. The book contains a foreword by sociologist and feminist scholar Jessie Bernard, In the Preface, Wilma summarized her message to the reader: "For the reader, I have, hopefully, conveyed some sense of what feminism portends, combined scholarship with my visions, shared some breadth and depth of feminist potential, and tried to write with whatever clarity possible when prophecy is nearly denuded by the dailiness of the status quo. My advocacy of change is not the closet variety. Passion is closeted, in this case, at a peril to justice."

Wilma Scott Heide was born on February 26, 1921 and died on May 8, 1985 of a heart attack. One of the most respected of feminist/human rights scholars/activists in the world, Dr. Heide was a nurse, sociologist, writer, activist and lecturer. During her lifetime she actively demonstrated intellectual force, caring and commitment in articulating the women’s movement imperatives for society. She served as visiting professor and scholar at several universities, consultant to various state education associations and innumerable colleges, churches and many branches of the government, education and social organizations. In 1984 Wilma described herself as: Behavioral Scientist at American Institutes for Research; Human Relations Commissioner in Pennsylvania; Chairone of Board and President of NOW (1970-1974); Professor of Women’s studies and Public Affairs at Sangamon State (would-be) University in Illinois; Feminist and Humorist-at-Large.