The National Organization for Women was established by a small group of feminists who were dedicated to actively challenging sex discrimination in all areas of American society. Betty Friedan, one of its founders, served as NOW’s first president.The organization is composed of both men and women, and it has a presence in all 50 states. One of the main focuses they had first, was passage of a national Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution. (designed mainly to invalidate many state and federal laws that discriminate against women) Although the amendment failed to gain ratification in 1982, the organization has continued to advocate for it.