1950 The first enactment to delete the word male from the Rotary Club Constitution was proposed by a Rotary Club in India to the Council on Legislation at the RI Convention.
1964 The Council on Legislation agenda contains an enactment to permit the admission of women into Rotary clubs. Delegates vote to withdraw this and two other proposals to allow women to be honorary members.
1972 As more women begin reaching higher positions in jobs, more clubs begin lobbing for woman to be members. A US Rotary club proposes to admit women.
1977 Three separate proposals to admit women in to Rotary are submitted to the Council on Legislation for consideration at the 1977 RI Convention.
A southern California Rotary Club admitted women as members in violations of the Rotary Constitution and Rotary International terminates the club. This club was not reinstated until September of 1986 (nine years later).
1980 The RI Board of Directors & Rotary clubs in India, Sweden Switzerland & the US propose an enactment to remove from RI & club constitutions & bylaws, all references to members as male persons.
1983 A lawsuit was filed with the California Superior Court. The court rules in favor of Rotary International and upheld gender-based qualification for membership in California Rotary clubs.
1986 - The California Court of Appeals reverses the lower courts decision, preventing the enforcement of the provision in California. The California Supreme Court refuses to hear the case & it is appealed to the US Supreme Court.
1987 On May 4th the US Supreme Court rules that Rotary clubs may not exclude women from membership basis on gender. Rotary issues a policy statement that Clubs in the US can admit qualified women as members.
The Rotary Club of Marin Sunrise is chartered on May 28th and is the first club to have women as charter members.
Also in 1987 - That club in southern California, that lost its charter for 9 years, is the first Rotary club to have a female President.
1988 The RI Board of Directors issues a policy statement recognizing the rights of Clubs in Canada to admit female members.
1989 At the first meeting after the 1987 US Supreme Court decision, the Council on Legislation votes to eliminate the requirement in the RI Constitution that membership in Rotary Clubs be limited to men. Women are welcomed into Rotary clubs around the world.
1990 - There are about 20,000 women in Rotary worldwide.
1995 - Eight women become district governors, the first to be elected to this role.
In total it only took 37 years and a US Supreme Court ruling!
And now you have the rest of the story.