Women's Museum of California

Library & Archives

Finding guide to The Rebecca Becky Grothaus Papers
1974-1986
Collection Summary
Title: Rebecca Becky Grothaus Papers, Chair Of The Women & Health Task Force S.D.
N.O.W, President Of Resource And Education Network For the Equality Of Women With
Disabilities, And Appointed Member Of National N.O.W Special Constituencies Issue
Committee Representing Disabled Women
Accession Number: AC-031
Creator: Rebecca Becky Grothaus
Finding Aid Prepared By: Jessica Smith
Head Archivist: Charla Wilson
Arranged By: Bonnie Domingos
Date Processed: March 3, 2015
Language: Collection material is in English
Extent: One box
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions: Open to research
Use Restrictions: None
Brief History of Rebecca Becky Grothaus' Work
Grothaus was the founding president of San Diego's first disabled women's group, Resource and
Education For The Equality Of Women With Disabilities (RENEWD). Grothaus was an eleven year
activist in San Diego NOW. Grothaus was a member of a national political caucus, advisory board for
center of women's studies and services, member of California Women's Commission on Alcoholism,
and National Women's Health Network. Grothaus was the author and producer of Disabled Women in
Action slide show.

Container List:
Series I. Correspondence
Folder # 1
Sub-Series A. (From Rebecca Becky Grothaus)
# 1 To Peter Lund, National Organization for Women [NOW] (July 15, 1974)
# 2 To University of California, San Diego [UCSD] Staff Personnel (April 11, 1984)
# 3 To Unknown (November 8, 1983); Resource And Education Network For The Equality of
Women With Disabilities [RENEWD]
# 4 To Ray (November 7, 1983)
# 5 To Raymond Zanella, Community Service Center For The Disabled, Inc. [CSCD]
(November 8, 1983)
Folder #2
Sub-Series B. (To Rebecca Becky Grothaus)
# 1 From Regina Kerns, Women's Coalition (No Date)
# 2 From Lois Sweeney (August 30, 1974)
# 3 From Diane E. Watson, Senate California Legislature (July 22, 1983)
# 4 From William A. Craven, Senate California Legislature (November 18, 1983)
# 5 From Diane E. Watson, Senate California Legislature (January 11, 1984)
# 6 From Shay Drummond, California State Senate (February 14, 1984)
# 7 From Diane E. Watson, California State Senate (August 14, 1984)
# 8 From Diane E. Watson, California State Senate (November 4, 1984)
# 9 From Diane E. Watson, California State Senate Committee on Health and Welfare
(November 4, 1984)
# 10 From Raymond Zanella, Community Service Center for the Disabled, Inc. [CSCD]
(November 7, 1983)
# 11 From Susan E. Browne (February 2, 1985)
# 12 From Gretchen, Resource and Education Network For The Equality of Women With
Disabilities (June 1, 1985)
# 13 From Gretchen, Resource and Education Network For The Equality of Women With
Disabilities (September 1, 1985)
Folder #3
Sub-Series C. (From, Miscellaneous Correspondence)
# 1 To Judy Brinner (August 30, 1974) From Lois Sweeney
# 2 From Shay Drummond, California State Senate (March 30, 1984)
# 3 From Jim Bates, Congress of the United States House of Representatives (August 8, 1984)
# 4 From Judith Abeles addressed to Robin Tyler, Resource and Education Network For The
Equality of Women With Disabilities [RENEWD] (June 25, 1985)
Series II. Workshop: The Disability, Civil Rights Movement & The Women's Movement
Folder #4
# 1 A speech by Rebecca Grothaus in San Diego (August 27, 1983)
# 2 An outline by Rebecca for the Resource and Education Network For The Equality of
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Women with Disabilities (R.E.N.E.W.D) (April 8, 1983)

# 3 Slideshow notes by Rebecca Grothaus for the National Organization of Women (N.O.W)
# 4 Notes on Senator's Watson's Adv. Committee on women's issues (February 24, 1984)
# 5 A Senate Bill by Senator Watson (February 28, 1983)
Series III. Topics of Interest Scripts: Sexism in Advertising, Welfare/ Workforce, Sex
Discrimination
Folder #5
Sub-Series A. (Scripts from National Organization of Women [NOW])
# 1 Sexism in Advertising, unspecified Task Force, To call the audience's attention that
advertising presents a destructive image of women.
# 2 Sexism in Advertising, Media Reform Task Force, call attention to how advertising presents
a distorted image of women.
# 3 Sexism in Advertising (Additional Copy Provided)
# 4 Image of Women Task Force, Slideshow Sexism in Advertising, unspecified task force, to
detail how negative, sexist, portrayals of women in advertising affect how women view
themselves
# 5 Image of Women Task Force (Additional Copy Provided)
Folder #6 (Images/ Advertisements)
# 1 H's one-two Subaru in America's toughest rally. Subaru of America, Inc., Pennsauken,
New Jersey 08109
# 2 The Subaru GL Coupe. Like a spirited woman who yearns to be tamed. Subaru of
America, Inc., Pennsauken, New Jersey 08109
# 3 Preliminary Statistics Utilized in Image Slide Show, 22 magazines sampled & 2
newspapers sampled (sources)
Sub-Series B.
# 1 R.E.N.E.W.D Resource & Edu. Network For The Equality Of Women With Disabilities
Meeting Notes 1984-1985
Folder #7
Sub-Series A. Handouts
# 1 Architectural Accessibility, Cathy Hover, (November 23, 1981)
# 2 Resolution, Glenda Havens, (December 8, 1982)
# 3 Disabled Women, Unknown Author, (August 27, 1983)
# 4 Letter: Agreement of Affiliation with RENEWD, From Glinda Havens To William Tainter
(August 28, 1984)
Folder #8
Sub-Series B. Meeting Notes (San Diego)
# 1 R.E.N.E.W.D Meeting Notes (July 10, 1984)
# 2 Meeting Notes (August 14, 1984)
# 3 Meeting Notes (January 8, 1985)
# 4 Meeting Notes ( February 12, 1985)
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# 5 Meeting Notes (May 14, 1985)

# 6 Meeting Notes (July 9, 1985)
# 7 Meeting Notes (August 13, 1985)
Sub-Series C. CLEIS PRESS
Folder #9
Sub-Series A. Handouts About With The Power Of Each Breath
# 1 With the Power of Each Breath info (May 1985)
# 2 News from Cleis Press- with the Power of Each Breath (May 15, 1985)
Folder #10
Sub-Series B. Addressed to Rebecca Grothaus
# 1 From Diane Hugs, Cheryl Wade (November 26,1985)
# 2 From Cleis Press, With The Power of Each Breath: A Disabled Women's Anthology wins
President Committee Award (May 1, 1986)
# 3 From Cleis Press, Info about a new Feminist Anthology on Women & Cancer (June 25,
1986)
# 4 From Joann Eggotaff, a note informing Rebecca that extra copies were made (August 1986)
# 5 From Cleis Press, information that With the Power of Each Breath wins recognition with
special merit (November 1, 1986)
Folder #11
Sub-Series C. Addressed to Contributors of With the Power of Each Breath
# 1 From Felice Newman, sending contributors a copy of With the Power of Each Breath
(June 1, 1985)
# 2 From Felice Newman, information about a special discount contributors have when ordering
copies of With the Power of Each Breath (November 12, 1985)
Sub-Series D.
# 1 Sex Discrimination In Insurance & N.O.W. (National Organization Of Women)
Folder # 12
Sub-Series A. Facts About Gender Discrimination
# 1 Fact Sheet: Gender Discrimination in Insurance, N.O.W. (National Organization for
Women)
# 2 N.O.W. Fact Sheet: Nondiscrimination in Insurance Act, N.O.W. (National Organization for
Women)
# 3 Fact Sheet: Benefits to Women Through HR 100/s 372, N.O.W. (National Organization for
Women)
# 4 Myth of Equality: Compelling Reasons to Support the N.O.W. Legal Defense and Education
Fund, N.O.W. (National Organization for Women)
# 5 Statement of Judy Goldsmith, President of National Organization for Women (N.O.W.),
(August 10, 1983)
Folder # 13
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Sub-Series B. From Judy Goldsmith

# 1 To Member, About Fight Against Sex Discrimination in Insurance, N.O.W. (National
Organization for Women)
# 2 To Unknown/Friend, N.O.W. Action Alert: Insurance Industry Declares War on Women,
N.O.W (National Organization for Women)
# 3 To Member, Sharing a recent development on the fight for equal treatment for women in
insurance, N.O.W. (National Organization for Women, Inc.)
# 4 To Unknown, Insurance vs. Equality, N.O.W. (National Organization for Women)
Folder #14
Series C. Miscellaneous Documents
# 1 Judy Goldsmith- Insurance Notes (July 17, 1983)
# 2 Schedule: Get Acquainted with N.O.W. Day (August 27, 1983)
# 3 Note: Congressman Jim Bates
# 4 Letter from Katheryn F. Clarenbach to Unknown (No date)
# 5 Advertisement: Multi Million Dollar Media Campaign Opposes Equality
Sub-Series E. Sexual Discrimination and Sexual Harassment
Folder #15
Sub-Series F. Welfare and Workforce
Folder #16
Sub-Series G. Miscellaneous
Folder # 17
Folder #18
Series IV. Publications
# 1 Growing Numbers, Growing Force, Older Women's League Educational Fund, A Report
from the White House Mini-Conference on Older Women, n/a
# 2 Consciousness Raising Handbook, National Organization for Women, L.A. Now
Consciousness Raising Committee, 1974
# 3 The New Woman's Survival Sourcebook, 1975
# 4 Guidelines to Feminist Consciousness Raising, National Task Force on Consciousness
Raising of National Organization for Women, 1975-76
# 5 ...To Form a More Perfect Union..., National Commission on the Observance of
International Women's Year, Justice for American Women, 1976
# 6 The Silenced Majority, Media Task Force, The Status of Women in the San Diego
Broadcast Media, 1977
# 7 The Spirit of Houston, National Commission on the Observance of International Women's
Year, The First National Women's Conference, 1978
# 8 Women's Health Care, Resources, Writings, Bibliographies, 1978
# 9 Abortion, National Women's Health Network, 1980
# 10 Welcome to the Sirkus, The Women's Legislative Institute, A Handbook For Grassroots
Advocacy, 1982
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# 11Who's Watching Our Children, Senate Office of Research, The Latchkey Child
Phenomenon, 1983
# 12 Women's Rights, California Department of Justice, 1983
# 13 Equal Opportunity in Presidential Appointments, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, A
Statement of the United States Commission on Civil Rights, 1983
# 14 A Growing Crisis: Disadvantaged Women and Their Children, United States Commission
on Civil Rights, 1983
# 15 The Feminization of Poverty Testimony I, California Legislature Senate Committee on
Health and Welfare and Assembly Human Services Committee, Joint Public Hearing,
1983
# 16 The Feminization of Poverty Testimony II, California Legislature Senate Committee on
Health and Welfare and Assembly Human Services Committee, Joint Public Hearing,
1983
# 17 14th National Conference on Women & the Law Sourcebook, Unity and Empowerment,
1983 (2 copies)
# 18 Feminist Health Care Directory, National Organization for Women, 1984
# 19 Bread and Roses: The Economics of Feminism Sourcebook II, The 15th National
Conference on Women and the Law, 1984
# 20 Bread and Roses: The Economics of Feminism Sourcebook I, The 15th National
Conference on Women and the Law, 1984
Series V. Audio Cassettes
# 1 N.O.W. Interview: KGB Perspective (1974)
# 2 KFMB Interview (January 23, 1974)
# 3 News Conference Of T.V. Coverage, Media Monitoring (February 1, 1974)
# 4 Press Conference Of T.V. Coverage (February 15, 1974)
# 5 A Few Minutes From NOW (March 16, 1974)
# 6 CR Weekend- Theory of CR, Harriet Perl and Gay Abarbanell (March 4-5, 1978)
# 7 Disabled Women In Action # 1: We The Women (The American Parade) on CBS
(March 17, 1974)
# 8 KPRI Interview: Introspections With Theo Wilner, Diane Matson, Becky Grothaus
(C.S.C.D. + The American Lupus Society) (April 20, 1980)
# 9 Disabled Women in Action Copy 2 (October 13, 1981)
# 10 Disabled Women In Action Copy 1 of 2 (October 14, 1981)
# 11 Disabled Women In Action Copy 2 of 2 (October 14, 1981)
# 12 Health Workshop (April 8, 1983)
# 13 15th National Conference On Women And The Law (No date)
# 14 Sexism in Advertising (No date)
# 15 Disabled Women in Action II ( No date)
# 16 Women With Disabilities: Feminist Collective (No date)
Series VI. Misc. Objects
Pins (13)
# 1 Symbol of Anarcha- Feminism (3 pins)
# 2 NOW Never Another Season of Silence 1966-1986 (2 pins)
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# 3 Older is Bolder
# 4 Venus symbol (2 pins)
# 5 ERA
# 6 Philogynist
# 7 Vote (With Venus Symbol)
# 8 Sister
# 9 Symbol of double Venus
Badges (3)
# 1 Rebecca Grothaus' Women and Health Task Force NOW badge
# 2 Rebecca Grothaus' San Diego County Chapter NOW badge
# 3 RENEWD
Stickers (7)
# 1 Domestic Violence is a Crime Against the Future (1) -Bumper Sticker
# 2 Anarcha- Feminism (3)
# 3 Mondale & Ferraro (1) -Political Sticker
# 4 Boycott Carl's Jr.
# 5 Support ERA
Cards (20)
# 1 NOW San Diego County Chapter ERA
# 2 You Have Insulted A Woman From The Mouth Of Bores Comes Sexist Language (7)
# 3 You Have Insulted A Woman This Card Has Been Chemically Treated In Three Days
Your Penis Will Fall Off (6)
# 4 You Have Insulted A Woman May Your Screwdriver Break And Your Nuts Rust Off (5)
# 5 You Have Insulted A Woman This Card Is Chemically Treated In Three Days Your Prick
Will Fall Off (1)
Postcard (1)
# 1 Anti-Reagan letter to Grothaus
Poster (3)
# 1 Women Workers Then and Now: 1880-1980
# 2 Anti-Playboy
# 3 When I tell you I'm a feminist it doesn't mean I want to fight for every right men have...
only that I shouldn't have to.
Book (2)
# 1 NOW Address Book
# 2 Bread and Roses Registration Book
Scope and Contents of Material:
This collection documents Rebecca Becky Grothaus' work within the RENEWD (Resource and
Education For The Equality Of Women With Disabilities). The collection includes published works
regarding equality of women.
Series I: Correspondence
The series includes letters from NOW and RENEWD to Rebecca Grothaus. It contains
correspondence between Grothaus and California State Senator's office, Diane E. Watson along
with their discussions towards solutions in ending poverty for women and Grothaus'
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involvement in committees. Grothaus also corresponded with California Senate Committee on

Health and Welfare regarding Women's Opportunity Week. It contains a book contract which
features Grothaus life and work with the handicapped women's community along with other
correspondence.
Series II: Workshop
It contains outlines and speeches from Rebecca Grothaus presented in San Diego during a
NOW workshop at the YWCA on August 27, 1983.There Rebecca describes how NOW does
not adhere to the rights of disabled women as much as able-bodied women and urges the
audience to stand up for disabled rights by speaking of her own personal struggles with lupus. It
also includes an outline by Rebecca for a RENEWD workshop on April 8, 1983 that details how
disabled women are disenfranchised and encourages all women to co-operate in addressing the
issues disable women face and calling for action to be done. Grothaus created slideshow notes
for NOW about how disabled women are not met with the same opportunities as able-bodied
women in the organization even though they face the same issues: reproductive freedom, wage
gap, lesbian rights. Notes on Senator's Watson's Adv. Committee on women's issues for
February 24, 1984 that focus on how the childcare system (children with disabilities) needs to
be regulated in California particularly. A Senate bill introduced by Senator Watson on February
28, 1983 permits school and state buildings used by the public to be inspected to make sure they
are handicap accessible.
Series III: Topics of Interest
The series includes scripts of Sexism in Advertising and notes from RENEWD meeting notes
from 1984 to 1985. It also contains Cleis Press, an independent publisher, and sexual
discrimination inside of insurance. The discrimination shown inside of insurance does not just
include discriminatory acts against handicapped but also involves gender.
Series IV: Publications
The work contains various publications ranging in dates from 1974 to 1984. The publications
involve diverse aspects of women's rights topics cover include opposing viewpoints on women's
rights. The women's rights inside the works cover women's health care, abortion, women in
poverty, and feminism. Some of the twenty published products involve child care and where
older women fit into society.
Series V:Audio Cassettes
The various audio cassettes are recorded material from press conferences, news conferences,
interviews and workshops that range from 1974 to April of 1983. More specifically, some of the
audio cassettes include disabled women, sexism in advertising, and healthcare. Also the 15th
National Conference on Women and the Law is included.
Series VI: Miscellaneous Objects
The miscellaneous objects include Grothaus' pins, badges, stickers, cards, posters, books and a
postcard. The various material displays feminist pins that illustrate NOW, the ERA, and
encouragement in women voting. The other objects also show Grothaus' opposition towards
Carl's Jr., President Reagan, and Playboy.
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