 In addition, McCarty co-founded the Indiana Women's Political Caucus and the Greater Indianapolis Women's Political Caucus in 1971 and served as the first president of each organization.As an advocate for women's equality and increasing women's roles in politics and government, McCarty was also involved in the campaign to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in Indiana in 1977.McCarty, a native of Plainfield, Indiana, and a Phi Beta Kappa member, graduated first in her class from the Indiana University School of Law–Indianapolis (the present-day Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law) in 1950 and was a partner in private law practice in Indianapolis.