MUNCIE, Ind.-- A tremendous backlash threatens to take away the successes of the women's movement, the president of the National Organization for Women (NOW) warned a Ball State University audience Thursday.

"As I relish our winnings and victories, I have to sound a warning bell," Patricia Ireland said. "There are many folks who want to take everything back. They want to divide us. They want to put up barriers and separate our power."

Ireland, president since 1991 of the world's largest, most visible and most successful feminist organization, appeared as keynote speaker of Women's Week, an annual event celebrating then achievements and experiences of women.

Ireland said women have come far since her days as a Pan Am Airlines flight attendant when getting married or turning 32--whichever came first--meant forced retirement.

"We most certainly have made significant progress," she said. "We have laws intended to uphold equality and protection, positions of power, opportunities in education and in the workforce but we still make 75 cents for every dollar men do. We're still treated as second-class citizens. Until we demand change we will continue to be honeys'--not colleagues of our male counterparts, but walking and talking body parts.

"I was programmed not to make people uncomfortable," Ireland said. "It finally became clear that I needed to get the stomach for the fight."

Ireland fought against Pan Am for equal health benefits for her family and in the process helped other women employees challenge discrimination that they had not known was illegal.

Empowering women through legal means, Ireland received her law degree from the University of Miami in 1975. She served as legal counsel for Dade County and Florida NOW for seven years.

NOW's activism today is the good news for women's and human rights, Ireland said.

"Thousands and thousands of women and men are taking small steps toward change," she said. "Such daily actions, regardless of their size, add up to a tremendous progress for all of us. The actions you take every day can make a difference. Sometimes you can challenge authority and win."

Ireland's book "What Women Want" encourages women to fight back and take control over their own lives.

"Everyone has to decide for herself what she wants, then go after it with all of her power," she said.