NOW Reviews

Despite much of NOW's outward rhetoric, internally, it is still governed by "white feminist" principles. NOW has a diversity issue, and it is lacking in its intersectional analysis and approach. There were those attempting to move the organization in a more intersectional direction, however, the most recently elected leadership have taken it in the opposite direction. Many of us witnessed racist and transphobic behaviors at the national NOW conference, and then at the National NOW office itself, following the election.

This was one of the saddest work environments I've ever worked. Truly toxic, unprofessional, demeaning, and upsetting. 1) There is no policy, structure, processes or any meaningful job descriptions/ departments. The policy handbook is not observed or honored, so staff has no clear guide as to their rights as employees. When staff tries to pushback and discuss this--Senior Leadership shuts them down. An example of this is the overtime policy. In NOW's policy handbook, it is clearly stated that if Staff must work over 40 hours a week they receive overtime pay. When overtime was denied (despite the fact that employees were working overtime for an annual event), staff was accused of "trying to start a revolution." Staff is scared into silence through retaliatory tactics for speaking up on these issues. 2) Senior leadership has been in place since the 70s and their practices/ values have not advanced to meet the current political landscape. NOW is STILL fixated on the ERA despite the fact that there are many real dangers faced by women (and especially women of color). Senior Leadership has also consistently made comments/ suggestions that are racist and transphobic. 3) The President is unqualified for her role, narcissistic, paranoid, and only cares about getting HERSELF in the press (not advancing the mission or support NOW's Grassroots Chapters). She is consistently problematic (in her viewpoints as well as her management practices), manipulative, and an actual nightmare to work with. The President runs the National Action Center as if it is a local chapter, which is embarrassing, and is incredibly unprofessional with NOW's vendors/ partners. 4) Younger staff are exploited for their perspective while being simultaneously demeaned by their superiors. NOW's Membership skews older (65+) and predominantly white. This influences which ideas, processes, and identities are valued---this is not feminist/ okay. Younger staff have put every effort into bringing the organization to the 21st century (in terms of technology, employing best practices, and instilling modern/intersectional feminist though into NOW's values) but are disrespected and exploited in that process. This rings even more true for young women of color. The NOW office literally does not run without junior staff. If NOW wants to be around in 5 years, they should keep this in mind... _________________________________________________________________________________________ At the end of the day, I joined NOW because I care about women's rights and want to launch a career in this field. If other young professionals are looking to join the org, JUST SAY NO. You will not gain skills here. Senior Leadership is not equipped to teach you best practices. I recommend that you wait for another organization that will not be damaging for your mental health to appreciate your skills and value.