In May of 1969, as the women’s movement was gaining momentum, a group of women in Boston met during a “female liberation conference” at Emmanuel College. A year later, they put together the first newsprint edition of Our Bodies, Ourselves.

Over the years, the initial group of founders expanded to include other women who dedicated themselves to furthering the work and mission of the Our Bodies Ourselves organization.

  • Ruth Davidson Bell Alexander | bio
  • Pamela Berger | bio
  • Ayesha Chatterjee
  • Vilunya Diskin | bio
  • Joan Ditzion | bio
  • Paula Doress-Worters | bio
  • Nancy Miriam Hawley | bio
  • Elizabeth MacMahon-Herrera | bio
  • Pamela Morgan (1949-2008) | Remembrances
  • Judy Norsigian | bio
  • Jamie Penney
  • Jane Kates Pincus | bio
  • Esther Rome (1945-1995) | bio
  • Wendy Sanford | bio
  • Norma Swenson | bio
  • Sally Whelan | bio
  • Kiki Zeldes | bio

The founders group continues to work and advocate for women’s health. To learn more about them, see:

Some of the Our Bodies Ourselves founders, Fall 2017. Front row (L-R): Norma Swenson, Pamela Berger, Ruth Bell Alexander, Jane Pincus, Miriam Hawley; back row: Sally Whelan, Elizabeth MacMahon-Herrera, Vilunya Diskin, Joan Ditzion, Judy Norsigian, Wendy Sanford, Paula Doress-Worters / Photo: Jerry Speier for the Brooklyn Museum

Learn more about the history and legacy of Our Bodies Ourselves.