CULT OF POWER: Sex Discrimination in Corporate America and What Can Be Done About It

In 2002, Burk, chair of the National Council of Women's Organizations, led a protest against the Augusta National Golf Club—home of the Masters golf tournament—for its refusal to admit women to the club. In riveting prose, she tells that story and draws out lessons for eliminating sex discrimination in corporations generally. In her initial letter to chairman Hootie Johnson, Burk simply requests that he review the club's policies and open the membership to women; Johnson's reply to Burk vilifies her and calls her references to discrimination offensive. As her struggle with the club intensifies, Burk learns that several powerful corporate presidents are members of the club (she includes a complete list of the club's members) and uncovers countless anecdotes of daily discrimination against women at their companies. She calls for companies to do "gender equity audits" to uncover the real statistics about matters such as the number of layoffs by gender and job category, the number of new hires by gender, including pay averages, and number of new board members by gender. With a terrific story on which to hang her recommendations, Burk achieves a rare hybrid of activism and entertainment. (Apr.)