 An ardent and early adopter of feminism in the 1960s, McNiel joined several women's groups focused on expanding women's roles and eliminating prevalent stereotypes.She became a member of the National Organization for Women and People for the American Way, seeking to expand her opportunities in the working world as a recent college graduate.Growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, McNiel witnessed changes like desegregation, which motivated her to improve the rights and benefits of the disenfranchised.