Sirota, Beate (1923–)

Austrian-born feminist and opera impresario. Name variations: Beate Sirota Gordon. Born Oct 25, 1923, in Vienna, Austria; grew up in Japan; dau. of Leo Sirota (concert pianist) and Augustine (Horenstein) Sirota; m. Joseph Gordon (Japanese expert), Jan 15, 1948; children: Nicole (b. 1954); Geoffrey (b. 1958).

Long-time leader in Japanese-American cultural relations, is also well known as the woman who wrote women's equality into the Japanese constitution; moved to US to attend Mills College (1939); fluent in Japanese, German, Russian, French, Spanish, and English, found work as a translator of Japanese radio broadcasts for Office of War Information in San Francisco during World War II; following Japanese surrender (1945), returned to Japan and was employed in the American occupation government division; was assigned to write the articles on women's rights for the Civil Rights Commission during the secret drafting of the new constitution (1946); though most of her articles on women's and child social welfare were eliminated, her fundamental statements of gender equality in legal status, marriage, divorce, and property rights, and her article on academic freedom, were finally accepted; had a long association with the Asia Society (1960–93), becoming director of its performing arts program (1970). Received John D. Rockefeller III Award for her outstanding contribution to the modern Asian arts.

See also memoir The Only Woman in the Room: A Memoir (Kodansha, 1997); and Women in World History.