Past President, NOW New York State

Marilyn Fitterman is a full-time human rights activist based in East Hampton, New York. In the early eighties she was President of Mid-Suffolk NOW (National Organization For Women) and from 1988-1992 served as President of Now-New York State. She was also President of the National NOW Presidents' Caucus and is a co-founder of Long Island's NOW-PAC (Political Action Committee). In these capacities, Fitterman has organized and run the successful defense of women's health clinics throughout New York State against attacks by the far right.

From 1999 to 2001, Fitterman served as Chair of the East Hampton Town Anti-Bias Task Force. She is an experienced lobbyist and frequently peaks around the State on a number of feminist subjects including First Amendment Free Speech, Separation of Church and State, Abortion and Reproductive Rights in America, Women's Rights, Racial Equality, and Hate Crimes Legislation. Fitterman is also a mother of five (all of who were born in the space of four years and who include two sets of twins), and a grandmother of eight.

Fitterman is currently at work on a grassroots feminist memoir, for which she received a grant from the Grandmother Winifred Foundation. She is also serving as Co-President of Long Island's East End NOW. Fitterman is a founding member of Feminists For Free Expression and a long-time champion of First Amendment rights. She remarked in a 1998 speech: "What censorship censors first is always women. Then come gays, sex education and art. Freedom, first of all, means free speech."

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