I was looking through the Dayton Women's Liberation collection in the archives for my research paper and something that stuck out to me in particular was the media coverage of their demonstrations and events.
In going through the newsletters and correspondence, media coverage of DWL's activities is mentioned several times. In an article from the Dayton-Journal Herald from the 1980s detailing the 15 year reunion of DWL one member recalls at a protest being asked by a reporter "Are you wearing a bra?" even after she objected to the question. Another member recounts television news commentary calling the group ". . .braless, makeup-less militant women."
A Dayton Daily News editorial dated to November 5, 1973 objected to the Dayton City Commission approving $15,000 in federal funding to DWL for a Women's Center in Dayton. This place provided counseling, educational literature and medical referrals, among other services to women in Dayton. The author suggests that the same amount be provided for a "Men's Center" which would provide ". . . night care, counseling by sympathetic bartenders, bowling, poker and pool."
It shows the tremendous courage of these local women who went ahead despite asinine mockery and sexist questions from the news media and created an organization by and for women. What was said about them is also telling about the time in which the group was active, though those stereotypes about feminists still exist to this day. The editorial about a "Men's Center" brings to mind the tired argument against Black History Month or Women's History Month and similar occasions to shine a light on under-represented groups. You'll often hear "How come there's no 'White History Month'? or 'Men's History Month?'" Some progress definitely has been made since the 1970s but there are still so many misconceptions about what feminism is and what it stands for that have changed very little in the last 40 years.
Sources: newspaper clippings in MS-133, Dayton Women's Liberation Records, WSU Special Collections & Archives
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