Peg Yorkin

Peg Yorkin (April 16, 1927 – June 25, 2023) was an American feminist activist, philanthropist, and fundraiser.[2][3] She served as cofounder and chair of the Feminist Majority Foundation.

Peg Yorkin
Born(1927-04-16)April 16, 1927
New York City, U.S.
DiedJune 25, 2023(2023-06-25) (aged 96)
Malibu, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Feminist activist, philanthropist
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1954; div. 1984)​
[1]
Children2; including Nicole Yorkin
AwardsWomen of Courage Award 1993

Early life

Yorkin was born Peggy Diem on April 16, 1927, in New York City,[4][5][6] where she also grew up.[3] An only child of a Catholic father and Jewish mother, Yorkin was raised in neither religion and described herself as "no believer". "The religions are patriarchal. I don't believe in any of them, or a God, or a Goddess."[7]

She described her family circumstances as "genteel poverty". Her father's alcoholism negated his career as a cinematographer for legendary filmmaker D.W. Griffith and forced the family to live "on the kindness of my mother's relatives."

She went to Barnard College, had a brief acting stint and an early marriage that lasted two years.

Career

In 1991, she made a US$10,000,000 endowment and gift to the Feminist Majority Foundation (of which she was a cofounder and chair[8]) and the Fund for the Feminist Majority, a sister organization that she co-founded in 1987.[3] The first program of the endowment was to help make RU 486 or another anti-progestin available to women.[9] Yorkin received the Women of Courage Award in 1993.[10][11]

Yorkin spoke at the Feminist Expo 2000 at the Baltimore Convention Center,[12] and also produced live theater in Los Angeles.[8]

Yorkin was criticized by Bitch magazine for saying in 2009, in regard to Roman Polanski, "My personal thoughts are let the guy go. It’s bad a person was raped. But that was so many years ago. The guy has been through so much in his life. It’s crazy to arrest him now. Let it go. The government could spend its money on other things."[13]

Personal life

Yorkin was married to Bud Yorkin from 1954 until their divorce in 1984.[1][3] They had two children, Nicole and David, both TV writers. She had four grandchildren.[8]

Yorkin had dementia.[6] She died in her home in Malibu, California on June 23, 2023, at the age of 96.[6]

References
  1. Barnes, Mike (18 August 2015). "Bud Yorkin, Overlooked 'All in the Family' Legend, Dies at 89". Hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  2. Love, Barbara J. (22 September 2006). Feminists Who Changed America, 1963-1975. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 9780252097478.
  3. Hendrix, Kathleen (October 4, 1991). "Peg Yorkin was the housewife of the '50s. Now, she's an activist with clout and money: $10-Million Woman". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
  4. Green, Penelope (June 30, 2023). "Peg Yorkin, Who Helped Bring the Abortion Pill to the U.S., Dies at 96". The New York Times.
  5. "Yorkin, Peg (b. 1927)". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  6. "Peg Yorkin, feminist leader and philanthropist, dies at 96". The Washington Post. 26 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  7. "Archives". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  8. "Peg Yorkin". Feminist Majority. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
  9. "History of the Feminist Majority Foundation: 1991". Feminist Majority Foundation. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
  10. "Awards Retrospective". Women in Film. Archived from the original on August 6, 2014. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
  11. Galbraith, Jane (June 14, 1993). "Pfeiffer Spices Up Award Show: Award: Women in Film honoree targets story lines that sell women's bodies. But she also praises leaders who improved women's career opportunities". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
  12. Ikenberg, Tamara (March 31, 2000). "Pulling out the feminist yardstick". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
  13. Kahan, Rachel (October 7, 2009). "Douchebag Decree: Peg Yorkin, Traitor to Womanity". Bitch. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
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