from Towerwatcher: The Increasing Degradation of Women in the Watchtower Society. The lifestyle of a woman as one of Jehovah's Witnesses is certainly not an easy job. It is a well known fact that most of the work that takes place within the Watchtower Society contributing to its success, is due to the backbone of the Watchtower which can be described as the women in the congregation. Some years ago, Jehovah's Witness women had the privilege of being able to elect a lieutenant and secretary-treasurer. A privilege that they do not have today. Increasingly, all the privileges held within the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses, rest solely upon the shoulders of the men and it doesn't seem as if that law is going to change. The 1975 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses p.85 states, quote: Also stepped up was a new activity started prior to C. T. Russell’s death. Called the “Pastoral Work,” it was a forerunner of the return visits now made by Jehovah’s Christian witnesses. In Russell’s time this activity was limited to about 500 congregations that had voluntarily elected him as their pastor. In a letter to these he described the undertaking as “an important Follow-up Work possible in connection with addresses received at Public Meetings, DRAMA Exhibitions, from Colporteur Lists, etc.—persons who supposedly have some interest in religious matters and who presumably would be more or less amenable to the Truth.” Women in the congregation who were interested in performing this work elected one of their number to serve as a lieutenant and another as secretary-treasurer. A city was divided into territorial districts, assigned to individual sisters who called on all whose names had been supplied as interested persons. The callers loaned books, which could be read and studied by the borrower. A scan of page 85 of the 1975 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses can be observed here, and please note the last paragraph!
This privilege of electing a "lieutenant" and "secretary-treasurer" by the "women" in the Jehovah's Witness congregations, does not exist today within the Watchtower Society. So, the rights and privileges of women down through the years have diminished. While the work load for the women in the Watchtower Society has remained the same, or even increased through time, their privileges have decreased. It is a shame to realize that there are many women in the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses who are responsible for taking care of a home, working part or full time, have children to care for, meetings to attend 3 times a week, attend conventions, personal study to handle, clean the Kingdom Halls, and several other tasks expected of them; only to have their privileges actually decrease instead of increase as time goes on. Makes a person wonder what kind of "future" there is for the rights of women in the Watchtower Society. A person can clearly see that if the women within the Watchtower Society were to go on strike from the exhaustion they experience, they could shut down the entire organization due to the work they accomplish on their own!