Leader lambasts feminism in talk

The classic women’s rights movement has made great strides, but that change isn’t necessarily for the better, a conservative leader said in a speech at the University on Wednesday evening.

“Feminism is destructive,” said Phyllis Schlafly. “It’s destructive of marriage. It’s destructive of happiness. It’s destructive of your whole life.”

Schlafly catapulted into the national spotlight in 1964 when her conservative book, “A Choice Not an Echo,” sold 3 million copies.

She since has served as a leader of the pro-family movement and testified before more than 50 congressional and state legislative committees on constitutional, national defense and family issues.

Schlafly said feminists blame government for their problems and convince women they are victims of society.

“(Feminists) claim liberation from men but then look to the government as a replacement,” she said.

Schlafly also said feminists believe tax dollars should provide programs such as subsidized day care and maternity leave.

“The American people don’t want to pay for baby-sitters for other people’s children,” she said. “Feminism has changed attitudes of women and some men — but not babies. They don’t want to see other people’s faces at a day care every day.”

Schlafly said that she supports women who go into the work force but that they should not expect help from the government. She said that when her father could not find a job during the Great Depression, her mother had to go to work.

“People have to face life’s challenges,” Schlafly said. “But we didn’t look to the government. We didn’t get any handouts from them.”

She said feminists also have turned to government for increased wages. Feminists have said that a woman makes 76 cents to a man’s dollar, but Schlafly said this statistic is misleading because it does not compare similar jobs.

“We do not want wage controls in this country,” she said. “We had it here once, and the American people did not like it.

“Feminism is not compatible with the notion of equality. What they really want is the jobs they would not get on merit.”

Schlafly went on to criticize feminists’ efforts to increasingly integrate women into the military. She said she believes it would lower physical standards in the military because women are weaker than men.

“When you have coed training, a man cannot be all that he can be,” she said. “He can only be all that a woman can be.”

UNC’s Conservative Women’s Voice, an organization started earlier this year, sponsored the speech.

“In the face of turmoil and opposition, it’s nice to hear and see things come together,” said sophomore Kat Rodgers, president and founder of the group. “It invigorates me. It keeps me trucking and focusing on my core beliefs.”

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.