Phyllis Schlafly is a name that raged decades ago and has faded into a distant echo now, for a good reason. Phyllis was a woman who stood defiantly against the tidal wave of feminism in the 1970s. In the era of bell-bottoms and disco, she decided to wear the most outdated trend of hating on the feminist movement. As the subject of the critically acclaimed Hulu series ‘Mrs. America’ which came out in 2020, the story of Phyllis Schlafly has once again caught the tidal wave of intrigue.
The homemaker-turned-political powerhouse waged war against feminism with a ferocity that would make even the most seasoned activists pause. While many hot-headed women of her time labeled her as a gender traitor, many stood behind her with posters in hand, hailing STOP ERA. Why? It’s a complicated thing to decipher – a woman’s actions but here’s my attempt.
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The Making Of An Anti-Feminist
From her humble beginnings in St. Louis to her academic pursuits at Washington University and Radcliffe, Schlafly was destined for greatness—or so she thought. Born into a middle-class family in 1924, she juggled good grades with financial constraints, eventually earning a master’s degree in government. Her bid for Congress in 1952 was fueled by anti-Communist fervor, setting the stage for her future as a conservative firebrand.
While Phyllis was gaining a steady reputation thanks to her witty speeches and political trips she later defined as her ‘hobbies’ it was the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) that made her the true villain (to those who believe). ERA was the proverbial thorn in Schlafly’s side and the catalyst for her anti-feminist fervor. Initially, she thought of the petition being “something between innocuous and mildly helpful”, as she told her biographer Carol Felsenthal. But her indifference on the matter morphed into a formidable opponent after a fiery debate with a feminist in 1971.
Founding STOP ERA, which basically stands for ‘Stop Taking Our Privileges’ and rallying conservative women to her cause, Schlafly waged a relentless war against the amendment, rooted in her unwavering belief in traditional values. Unfortunately for women of the 70s, she succeeded in her cause.
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Why Did Phyllis Schlafly Oppose Gender Equality?
But why did Phyllis Schlafly oppose feminism with such fervor? Schlafly didn’t just oppose feminism, she painted it as the arch-nemesis of the stay-at-home mothers. According to her, feminists weren’t just advocating for equality, they were out to dismantle the very fabric of family life. The autie feminist wasn’t pulling any punches when she claimed that feminists wanted to downgrade the role of the full-time homemaker. The abortion rights demand of the feminists also took major blows from the Eagles brigade formed by the ‘family women’.
Reminiscing about a particularly fiery debate with feminist Betty Friedan during a Times interview Phyllis made her disdain for the feminists pretty verbal. Betty threw some heavy hate when she told Schlafly, “I’d like to burn you at the stake. I consider you a traitor to your sex. I consider you an Aunt Tom.” We’ll say the girls got equal as Phyllis said that she found Betty “Very ugly to deal with” and rejected all her ideologies. She pointed out the message of Friedan’s book ‘The Feminine Mystique‘ and discarded the feminist ideology for being “based on the absurd notion that the home is a comfortable concentration camp and that the suburban housewife is oppressed by her husband and by society.“
The Complex Legacy Of Phyllis Schlafly
Critics wasted no time labeling Schlafly a hypocrite, citing her simultaneous pursuit of multiple degrees and extensive political involvement. However, she brushed off these accusations, declaring that her primary role was of a devoted housewife and a mother to her six children. Cate Blanchett‘s portrayal in ‘Mrs. America’ offers a tantalizing glimpse into Schlafly’s contradictions, shedding light on the rooted reasons behind her anti-feminist crusade with a dose of that classic Hollywood flair.
Schlafly’s legacy remains a hotbed of debate and contention, with supporters hailing her as a defender of traditional values and detractors condemning her as a roadblock to progress. Regardless of where one stands, her impact on American politics cannot be denied.
What Happened To Phyllis Schlafly?
In a world pulsating with the beats of women’s liberation, Phyllis Schlafly stood as a staunch advocate for traditional values and gender roles. With her pearls impeccably in place and her conservative ideals firmly rooted, she was a symbol of resistance against the feminist movement. Armed with intellect and unwavering conviction, Phyllis ignited a firestorm of debate that to this date is relevant in society, not in the same capacity but relevant still.
Her ideologies by default debar her from the democratic panel and thus she’s been a spokesperson for the conservative party. She endorsed former president Donald Trump during the last days of her life in 2016 before passing away at the age of 92.
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