Bella Abzug was a liberal activist and politician in the 1960s and 1970s. During her lifetime she played a significant role in several controversial movements. She was a vocal supporter of women’s rights, environmentalism, gay rights, and the anti-war and anti-nuclear movements. Bella Abzug was born Bella Savitzky in New York on July 24th, 1920. She was raised by her Russian immigrant parents in the Bronx, New York. By the time she was thirteen, Bella Abzug was “giving her first speeches and defying convention at her family’s synagogue,” disregarding any preconceived expectations for her very early in life. Abzug demonstrated her natural leadership abilities during her years at Hunter College, where she acted as president of the student council.…show more content… Abzug often said that the adjectives typically used to describe her would have been different if she had been a man. Instead of being called “abrasive,” she would have been called “courageous,” “forceful” rather than “strident.” This critique is an insightful examination into the stereotypes associated with powerful women, something she fought against in her efforts as a feminist. Her entire career was a constant attempt to change the way politics and society as a whole viewed women. She wanted to create a system that respected, valued, and took seriously the contributions of women, and the women themselves. She is hailed as a revolutionary in the feminist movement of her time because of this. Abzug worked to create a better world for women, not only in politics, but in every aspect. She was a supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment, “a women’s credit-rights bill, abortion rights, and child-care legislation,” played a prominent role at National Women’s Conference in 1977, and became cochairman of the National Advisory Committee on Women, only to be dismissed from this position as a result of her open criticism of the Carter