Ireland Says Feminism Has Survived Attacks

The women's rights movement came under attack during the 1980s but has survived, said National Organization for Women (NOW) President Patricia Ireland at the Kennedy School yesterday.

Approximately 100 people crowded into Starr Auditorium to hear the NOW leader speak on the subject "Feminism and the Future: Why The Backlash Continues." The speech was part of a statewide tour geared towards raising support for the April 5 March for Women's Lives in Washington, D.C.

Ireland described the formation of a loose coalition between rightist politicians, business conservatives and "anti-progressives" who favor segregation and oppose women's rights.

"The progresses of the 60s and 70s met a tremendous backlash in the 80s," she said.

Ireland said the failure of the Equal Rights Amendment and in- creased restrictions on reproductive rightshave been anti-feminist victories.

"Forty-four million women have effectively losttheir right to an abortion--young women, ruralwomen, poor women, women in the military," shesaid. "Each compromise whetted the appetite of theopposition."

But feminism is not dead, Ireland said. "Forthe most part, the backlash has failed," she said.

"People need to understand that we've come along way...but the progress we have made was notinevitable and not irreversible," Ireland warned.

Ireland cited the proliferation of rape crisiscenters, the increased number of women in theworkplace and the use of more gender-neutralterminology as "breakthroughs" for feminism.

She contrasted today's environment with the oneshe faced as a female college graduate. "Wethought we could be anything we wanted to be--aslong it was a teacher, a secretary, a nurse, aflight attendant, a wife," she said.

Herself a former flight attendant, Irelandcautioned against disparaging women in suchprofessions.

"Traditional 'women's work' is hard work andunderpaid work," she said, adding that women arefighting for "the right to choose realistically tohave children and to support a family."

Ireland criticized Congress and the Bushadministration for failing to grant womenprotected family leaves and other guarantees ofequality.

"We have a once-in-a-decade opportunity tobreak the glass ceiling," she said. "We're aimingfor 50 percent women in Congress."

Ireland encouraged audience members toparticipate in the March on Washington, pointingto the rally a way of fighting back.

"Bullets can't stop us, Bush can't stop us,bullies at clinics can't stop us," she said.

Ireland said that NOW also plans to use themarch to call for broader measures, such asstatehood for Washington, D.C.

"The more our opposition pushes on us, the morewe grow," she said

"Forty-four million women have effectively losttheir right to an abortion--young women, ruralwomen, poor women, women in the military," shesaid. "Each compromise whetted the appetite of theopposition."

But feminism is not dead, Ireland said. "Forthe most part, the backlash has failed," she said.

"People need to understand that we've come along way...but the progress we have made was notinevitable and not irreversible," Ireland warned.

Ireland cited the proliferation of rape crisiscenters, the increased number of women in theworkplace and the use of more gender-neutralterminology as "breakthroughs" for feminism.

She contrasted today's environment with the oneshe faced as a female college graduate. "Wethought we could be anything we wanted to be--aslong it was a teacher, a secretary, a nurse, aflight attendant, a wife," she said.

Herself a former flight attendant, Irelandcautioned against disparaging women in suchprofessions.

"Traditional 'women's work' is hard work andunderpaid work," she said, adding that women arefighting for "the right to choose realistically tohave children and to support a family."

Ireland criticized Congress and the Bushadministration for failing to grant womenprotected family leaves and other guarantees ofequality.

"We have a once-in-a-decade opportunity tobreak the glass ceiling," she said. "We're aimingfor 50 percent women in Congress."

Ireland encouraged audience members toparticipate in the March on Washington, pointingto the rally a way of fighting back.

"Bullets can't stop us, Bush can't stop us,bullies at clinics can't stop us," she said.

Ireland said that NOW also plans to use themarch to call for broader measures, such asstatehood for Washington, D.C.

"The more our opposition pushes on us, the morewe grow," she said