In 1984, District 5030 Governor Carl E Swenson perceived the need of a new Rotary club in Seattle and appointed Lloyd Hara as his DG’s Representative to form the Rotary Club of Seattle International Districts (ID). When the provisional club prepared and filed its Charter Application, it deleted references to “male” or “men” and the application was rejected by RI.

 

The application was re-submitted including those terms and a charter was issued on 18 September, 1984, and Seattle-ID took a resolution for the admission of women to the 1986 Council on Legislation. This was soundly defeated.

 

On 4 September, 1986 Seattle ID admitted 15 women members and on 17 September, General Secretary Philip H. Lindsey wrote a strong letter to the club informing it that it could not admit women and continuing to do so would result in its charter being withdrawn. In January 1987, Seattle-ID then filed an amicus brief with the United States Supreme Court in support of the Duarte club, and in that year the Oakland club #3 wrote to the General Secretary of RI questioning the termination of Duarte’s charter.

 

On 30 March, 1987, the US Supreme Court heard an appeal by the Board of RI against the California Court of Appeal decision and on 4 May handed down a 7-0 unanimous decision affirming the California Court of Appeal decision, ruling that Duarte could not discriminate against members because of gender.

 

Video has been moved to "club videos" on front page of website

 
 
Sponsors