by Chris Staron | Sep 24, 2024 | Episodes
1977 marked the beginning of the Religious Right and women lit the flame.
The National Women’s Conference was set to take place. State meetings were overrun by conservative women causing disruptions to the meetings as they paid the entrance fee with pennies or made noises during the discussions. But liberal women were not angels either. Some went so far as to accuse the conservatives of sending in mental patients to do their voting.
It’s easy in all of the noise to forget that this was a monumental meeting. Women from all over the country gathered together to discuss issues that impacted them. They ran the show. They set the agenda. Conservative women, by and large, didn’t show up for the main meeting. Why? Because of conspiracy theories circulated by groups led by people like Phyllis Schlafly saying that the elections would be rigged. Also, they started their own conference across town.
The Religious Conference that Started the Pro-Family, Pro-Life Movement
This pro-life, pro-family rally was only about three hours long. But it packed a big punch. People from all over the country took busses overnight to attend. They couldn’t stay the night because hotels were already booked up for the main meeting. So they came and went on the same day, taking the pro-family, pro-life movement with them.
It also came across as a mark against Carter on all sides. Conservatives disliked that the conference happened on his watch and that his wife attended. Liberals were upset because he fired Bella Abzug after the group badmouthed him in the press. Carter, as usual, was in a no-win situation.
In this episode, Chris winds up a three-part mini-series that takes us from Phyllis Schlafly’s turn against the ERA to this momentous weekend in 1977. The fallout of the conference is still with us today as religious people on the right work together to accomplish their goals, often trying to undo what liberals on the far left have already done. Extremes continue to snipe at extremes as the middle tries to get things done. 1977 marked the beginning of the Religious Right and women lit the flame.
Our guest for this episode is Marjorie Spruill, author of the book Divided We Stand. It is an excellent resource that is balanced and well-notated.
Sources:
Discussion Questions:
- What were some positive outcomes of the National Women’s Year conference?
- What were some challenges they faced?
- Why did conservatives feel shut out of the conference?
- What do you think about the role of conspiracy theories in conservative circles (example: Schlafly’s insistence that the meeting votes were rigged)?
- Schlafly was overlooked in the Reagan administration. Why do you think that is?
- Why is it so hard for people of different beliefs to work together, even for the common good?
- What do you think would have happened if the IWY conference had not featured lesbian rights? Should it have avoided that controversial topic, or was it an issue whose moment had come?
by Chris Staron | Aug 27, 2024 | Episodes
Phyllis Schlafly single-handedly killed the ERA
Phyllis Schlafly was a remarkable woman. Regardless of your politics, you have to admire the impact that one person, who was never elected to office, could have on national political conversations. Schlafly was already part of the in-crowd in Washington when she took a stance against the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). She was an exercise in nuance herself– a woman who fought for traditional views of women in society, while also earning a law degree and touring the nation on speaking tours. She had a family and held a prominent position in the national zeitgeist, even building on battles fought by Anita Bryant.
Phyllis Schlafly built a media empire through conspiracy
But who was Phyllis Schlafly? She was a Catholic woman, which is important because Catholics had long been the victims of prejudice in the United States. She was a mother, a popular speaker, publisher of The Phyllis Schlafly Report newsletter, and author of books like A Choice, Not An Echo, which was a conspiratorial screed about stealing elections. This lady knew how to turn a story. She ran for Congress in 1955 and again in 1970, losing both times.
Phyllis Schlafly vs. the ERA
Then in 1972, she learned about the ERA. The Equal Rights Amendment was first proposed by Alice Paul in 1923. The goal was to have men and women treated equally under the law. That means that women would no longer receive special protections either. So… a double-edged sword, right? Women in the 1960s and 70s still had a ways to go when it came to equality. It brought forth some big questions about how to achieve it.
Schlafly wanted to protect the protections. So she formed STOP ERA (Stop Taking Our Protections, ERA) to rally her followers against the ERA. This was a big twist because state after state had rushed to ratify the amendment. But once Phyllis got going, they applied the brakes and waited.
Schlafly may have single-handedly stopped an Amendment to the Constitution.
In this episode, we’re going to learn about this dynamo. A woman who is both loved and hated. An intelligent woman, and someone who traded in falsities.
Our guests for this episode are Marjorie Spruill, author of Divided We Stand, and Angie Maxwell, author of The Long Southern Strategy.
Sources:
- Divided We Stand by Marjorie Spruill
- The Long Southern Strategy by Angie Maxwell
- Reaganland by Rick Perlstein
- A helpful list of milestones in women’s rights
- Video of Esther Peterson
- Video of Phyllis Schlafly talking about A Choice, Not An Echo on C-SPAN
- A copy of Ladies, Have Ya’ Heard? as mentioned in the episode
- Illinois State Archives interview with Phyllis
- An article from Time Magazine about the ERA’s history
- Britannica article about The Fairness Doctrine
- Smithsonian article about Phyllis Schlafly
Discussion Questions:
- What do you think about legal protections for women? Are you an Esther, an Alice, or a Phyllis?
- The ERA is really short. Do you think it should be more specific to clarify its position?
- How have you seen sexism? How has it impacted your life?
- Have you seen women treated well in the workplace? What made the difference?
- Are stay-at-home mothers respected in our society? If not, what can you and your church do to support them?
- What are your impressions of Phyllis?
- Are you okay with people using conspiracy theories to bolster their followings?
- We’ve spent a fair bit of time this season talking about parachurch organizations. What are your thoughts on them?
