In face of protestors, Schlafly stands firm
Woman in the news
Sam Guzik
Issue date: 5/5/08 Section: @Press
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"The feminists teach women that they are the victims of an oppressive patriarchal society, which is completely ridiculous," Schlafly said in an interview conducted earlier this week. "American women are the most privileged, fortunate class of people who have ever lived."
Schlafly gained national prominence in the 1960s as the author of "A Choice, Not an Echo," a book that outlines her opposition to feminism and which looked to refocus the Republican Party toward its voting base in the Midwest as opposed to the Northeast-and New York in particular-where it had previously been based.
Since then Schlafly has received attention largely for her stance on women's rights issues, where she aligns herself with traditional values, opposing the feminist movement and its achievements.
In recent years, she has spoken out against marital rape laws, gay rights and the effort to increase the number of females in math and science programs-a movement that she says will compromise teaching standards.
"The feminists [and] the whole women's studies movement is very disdainful of the full-time homemaker. One of the goals of the feminist movement was to drive all the homemakers out of the home,"Schlafly said. "I think one of the main reasons they hate me is that I stood up for the value and the rank of the full time homemaker."
Many of Schlafly's opinions have been informed by the chronology of her personal achievements, which she says contradicts the feminist telling of history.
"The idea that opportunities just opened up for women when [feminists] came along is just nonsense. I got my bachelors degree in '44 and I got my masters degree in '45, my mother graduated from Washington U. in 1920," Schlafly said. "It's a fine school, opportunities have been there, and any of my classmates could have done what I did."
Since the 1970s when Schlafly took a leadership role in the campaign against the Equal Rights Amendment and against the societal changes caused by the feminist movement, she has drawn criticism and disdain from those who disagree with her.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 25
MsfStl
posted 5/08/08 @ 11:25 AM CST
I'm curious, how much money has 'her' family donated to Wash U.? I think the university is just playing to the money. In my opinion, her positions are unrealistic for most of today's women, unless they live in a family of extreme wealth. (Continued…)
Margaret Stokely
posted 5/08/08 @ 11:38 AM CST
She did not grow up in extreme wealth at all.
Her father was unemployed during the Depression and her mother supported the family. She had to work her way through her undergrad years at Wash U, from which she graduated at age 19!
I daresay her 'protesters' probably never even had to work at all and come from wealthy families. (Continued…)
Jon
posted 5/08/08 @ 12:22 PM CST
SURVEY SHOWS: 76% of respondents think people who disagree with them deserve their careers suppressed and recognitions due them withheld.
Next step: Your first boss is a conservative. (Continued…)
CL
posted 5/08/08 @ 12:58 PM CST
Wash U prides itself on being "open-minded" when what it really means is that it's extremely liberal. I won't say that I agree with every statement this woman has ever made, but it seems that one of her biggest "faults" is being too conservative. (Continued…)
Bill Borek
posted 5/08/08 @ 4:55 PM CST
I am not familiar with Ms. Schlafly, and know only of her what I have read in Student Life. Setting aside a few of the more lightning rod subjects such as "marriage rape" it seems to me that she may well be very much a feminist in every positive sense of the word. (Continued…)
don tracy
posted 5/09/08 @ 5:28 PM CST
She opposes the teaching of evolution and a center of learning is offering her an honorary degree?!
Margaret Stokely
posted 5/09/08 @ 9:55 PM CST
"Ms. Stokley is from a prominent family fixated on aristocratic geneological connections to such notables as George Washington. Attitudinally she is not far removed from the elitism of Ms. (Continued…)
Stephen
posted 5/10/08 @ 2:03 AM CST
Need you say more don? I mean seriously, only those who haven't evolved enough would believe that something other than random chance led to the discussion we are currently having. (Continued…)
David
posted 5/13/08 @ 2:49 PM CST
Ms. Schlafly is against the teaching of evolution, did her best to kill the ERA for women and is famous for several other notable purely ideological dead-end achievements. (Continued…)
SuzieQ
posted 5/13/08 @ 6:02 PM CST
David Perhaps you will read original sources instead of agitprop spin. You might come to another conclusion.
If I read what Mrs. Scvhlafly's opponents have to say, I might feel just as you do. (Continued…)
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