Yorkin, Peg (1927–)

American feminist and activist. Born in New York, NY, April 16, 1927; dau. of Dora (Lavine) Diem (actress) and Frank Diem (photographer); attended Barnard College and Neighborhood Playhouse; m. Newton Arnold (assistant director), 1950 (div. 1952); m. Bud Yorkin (tv and film director and producer), May 9, 1954 (div. 1986); children: (2nd m.) Nicole Yorkin (b. 1958); David Yorkin (b. 1961).

Theater producer, philanthropist, and feminist leader who was instrumental in bringing RU-486 to the country and has advanced the cause of global equality for women; in early years, ran L. A. Free Shakespeare Festival; elected president of California Theater Council; transformed L. A. Shakespeare Festival into the powerful L. A. Public Theater (LAPT, 1982), then one of only 3 Equity houses in Los Angeles; produced the star-studded NOW's 20th Anniversary Show at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles (1986); with Eleanor Smeal, Katherine Spillar, Toni Carabillo, and Judith Meuli (1987), founded Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF) and the Feminist Majority (FM), of which Yorkin serves as chair of the board; donated $10 million, the largest gift ever made for women's rights, to FMF (1991), for such initiatives as the National Clinic Defense Project, the Campaign for RU-486 and Contraceptive Research, the Campaign to Stop Violence Against Women, the Task Force on Women and Girls in Sports, the National Center for Women and Policing, National Feminist Expositions, the Feminization of Power Campaign, Rock for Choice, Women United for Equality, as well as protecting clinics from antiabortion violence, and the Campaign to Stop Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan, chaired by Mavis Leno (Leno and the FMF would be nationally recognized for their earlier efforts to make the country aware of the terrorist-inspired nature of the Taliban regime; many would voice profound regret that their warnings had not been heeded).

See also Women in World History.