Conservative movement leader and author Phyllis Schlafly spoke about the incompatible ideologies of conservatism and feminism at the University of Massachusetts on Wednesday night.
"I know that women in other countries are very much treated as oppressed, but in the United States, it's very different. Women have always been well treated," said Schlafly during her lecture about the "great debate."
Schlafly is the founder of the national volunteer organization Eagle Forum, the author of 20 books, and was named the 1992 Illinois "Mother of the Year."
"I am so excited to know that there are so many students interested in learning about feminism," Schlafly began. "We live in an age of diversity, and I think it is very tolerant of you to listen to a view of feminism which is probably quite different from what you get in your women's studies courses."
Schlafly said feminists have been "obsessed" with a claim of unfair treatment throughout history. She supported this by pointing out that many men perform riskier jobs, like being on the front lines in the military. She said women are generally living longer and more and more are enrolling in college. Thus, according to Schlafly, American society does not produce oppression against women.
She used examples of oppressed women in other countries to support her argument.
Schlafly also used examples from her own life to show that women can do "whatever we want to."
"Conservatism says make your own life, solve your own problems," she said.
She discussed how she ran for Congress and faced no discrimination and sold three million copies of her self-published book.
Schlafly addressed her successful opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment, by stating she feels it "was a big fraud," because "the constitution doesn't talk about men and women." She later called the constitution a "beautiful, sex-neutral document."
"The ERA was a fraud because in the 10 years they were not able to show one benefit to women. They were not able to show anything it would give women that we don't have now," she said.
She added that the ERA would have the negative effect of making women eligible for the military draft.
One of Schlafly's personal ideas is that feminists ask more than they deserve of the government and therefore of taxpayers. She criticized affirmative action, saying it is not right to give women today "payback for women who lived generations ago."
She also said it's unfair to ask the government for daycare because childcare is a personal responsibility.
"Feminists pose the government as a solution to all their problems," she stated, listing abortions, legal services for divorce, and going "to the sexual harassment Gestapo" as services that overstep the boundaries of what the government should provide.
"Feminists claim they want a completely gender-neutral society. That is a lie. They want the government to give them something to make up for what they think they don't have," she said.
She explained the importance of motherhood in her life, which she accomplished by fulfilling her career at a later time.
"I do not think being a feminist has really got anything to do with whether you choose a career or choose to be a homemaker," she said.
Schlafly feels the defining feature of the feminist movement is the feeling women are victims of a patriarchal society.
"I think it is wrong of them to tell young women that your real self-fulfillment is solely in the labor force," she said.
Schlafly addressed the issue of the income gap between men and women, and attributed it to the fact that homemakers are included in this average, therefore bringing it down. She went on to say that when feminists demand "equal work for equal pay" they actually want "equal pay period."
Schlafly doesn't want the government to begin "engaging in wage cutting in order to tell that the job of a woman, say, as a secretary in a nice, air conditioned office is the same as a prison guard who faces risks every day on the job."
Schlafly concluded her speech by advising young women "not to catch the disease of feminism because it is contagious," and reminding them, "You have they opportunity and good fortune to be an American woman."
Some students walked away with mixed reactions.
"I don't know why she thinks that feminism hurts women, so I want to hear what she has to say," said Amherst College student Ellie Zi.
Among the students and audience members gathered outside before the doors opened were the UMass Democrats handing out articles that included flyers for the Everywomen's center.
Several students wore T-shirts adorned with a women's rights symbol, and a group of students from Hampshire College wore white in support of women's rights.
"I couldn't just let this event come and go," said UMass freshman Liz Wahlman. "We already have the right to stay in the home, but many of us don't want to. We want to make ourselves useful in society."
Others were excited to hear what Schlafly had to say.
"I'm a conservative young student and she is a historical figure who deserves to be heard," said Adam Fuchs, a recent graduate of Franklin Pierce University.
Caitlin Quinn can be reached at cquinn@student.umass.edu.
Be the first to comment on this article!