 | |
| Abbreviation | FFL |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1972 |
| Type | NGO |
| Legal status | 501(c)(3) not-for-profit |
| Purpose | Advocacy |
| Location | |
President | Serrin M. Foster |
| Website | feministsforlife |
Feminists for Life of America (FFL) is a non-profit, anti-abortion feminist, non-governmental organization (NGO). [1] Established in 1972, and now based in Alexandria, Virginia, the organization publishes a biannual magazine, The American Feminist, and aims to reach young women, college students in particular. [2]
FFL uses "pro-women" language in order to convince women that abortion is "immoral". [3] They use the "pro-woman" term as a substitute for "feminist", while at the same time opposing mainstream feminism. FFL holds that abortion is antithetical to feminism. [2] Goltz argued that the legalization of abortion allowed sexually exploitative men to avoid responsibilities such as paying for child support. [4] FFL argues that abortion comes from gender inequality. In response to Roe v. Wade, Callaghan made several claims, including that abortion causes bodily injury to women "in a third to a half of the cases", and that the Supreme Court legalized abortion because they "hate poor and unwed mothers". Professor Kelsy Kretschmer said these claims are unsubstantiated, but that the FFL uses such claims to undermine the idea that legal abortion is a feminist "victory". [3]
Feminists for Life was founded by Pat Goltz and Cathy Callaghan in Ohio in 1972. Goltz and Callaghan met in a judo club on the campus of Ohio State University, where Callaghan was a tenured professor of linguistics. In 1974, Goltz was expelled from the Columbus, Ohio, chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) for arguing that abortion violated feminist principles, [5] although she and Callaghan were not expelled from national NOW membership.
After five years as president of FFL, Goltz retired. In 1977, organizational management was moved to Wisconsin. The group's activities focused on being a presence at both anti-abortion and feminist events, distributing literature, and writing letters to various publications. A national workshop that became an annual conference for anti-abortion feminists was launched during this time. Many members supported both the Equal Rights Amendment and a Human Life Amendment as "complementary in their concern for human life". [6]
In June 1984, at the annual FFL meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, peace activist Rachel MacNair was elected president of FFL. [7] Out of her office at a crisis pregnancy center in Kansas City, Missouri, she ran FFL for ten years. Under MacNair, FFL began to receive more national exposure through media interviews, involvement in a broad spectrum of anti-abortion issues, and invitations to speak at anti-abortion events. By 1989, FFL was reporting that their research had found statements against abortion that had been made by early feminists. [8] Some of these findings were challenged by specialists in women's history, especially in the case of Susan B. Anthony, leading to a public dispute about her views on abortion. During 1992, MacNair also worked toward founding the Susan B. Anthony List as a political action committee working against abortion through electing anti-abortion candidates. [9]
In the 1990s, FFL worked within the anti-abortion movement but they used "pro-woman" language to establish a "feminist" identity separate from both feminists and anti-abortion activists. Professor Laury Oaks noted that, in practice, their actions revealed a "pro-life stance" from which they attacked mainstream feminism. [2] They backed laws which limited access to abortion. FFL did not usually state that their group's ultimate goal was to outlaw abortion, but they supported radical activism in Operation Rescue's effort to blockade abortion clinics by filing amicus curiae briefs in the 1993 Supreme Court case Bray v. Alexandria Women's Health Clinic . FFL also supported two attempts in the 1990s to enact a "partial-birth" abortion ban, both of which were vetoed by President Bill Clinton. [2]
In 1994–1995 after MacNair stepped down as leader, FFL's office was moved to Washington, D.C., and reorganized as a more politically pragmatic operation under Serrin Foster. Foster began in 1994 to visit college campuses where she spoke out against abortion. This effort was expanded in 1996 to a college outreach campaign involving all of FFL. In 1999, the FFL proposed that the Violence Against Women Act should not allow abortions of pregnancies from rape. [2]
In mid-2005, the Woodward Building, which housed the offices of Feminists for Life, the National Organization for Women, and The Hill newspaper, among others, [10] closed to be converted into apartments. [11]
FFL states that its members and supporters "hold a broad spectrum of opinions" about contraception, [12] [13] with FFL taking no official position on the matter. [14] [15] [16] Prominent FFL member Sarah Palin stated in 2006, "I'm pro-contraception, and I think kids who may not hear about it at home should hear about it in other avenues". [17]
FFL publishes a biannual magazine called The American Feminist which includes original and reprinted articles. [18]
In 1994, Foster began to visit college campuses to deliver her speech "The Feminist Case Against Abortion". [2] FFL established a college outreach program in 1996. [2]
For a college audience, FFL designed a promotional campaign that challenged abortion rights advocacy and provided information for pregnant women, not including how to obtain an abortion. FFL members created several kits for student activists, a kit for residential advisers and psychological counselors, a feminist history kit for libraries, and challenging ads for college audiences, in addition to the resources available through FFL's website. [20] Two of the eight "Question Abortion" posters offered in 2000 touched upon political issues, one of these saying "No law can make the wrong choice right". [2] One poster used an image of Susan B. Anthony and an out-of-context paraphrased quote determined two years earlier by FFL historian Mary Krane Derr to be about estate law, not abortion. [19] Other posters recast choice as the "imperative to have an abortion", or implied that life was better before abortion rights, back when abortion was illegal. [2] Other FFL posters reveal an anti-abortion stance even in case of rape or incest. [2]
One of the goals of the college program is to get members of college campuses to help advocate for student parenting as a way to reduce the prevalence of abortion. [2] This is an example of "common ground" advocacy. Both sides of the abortion issues are coming together in attempt to work together to find solutions for other issues relating to abortion. [21]
FFL believes that there should be daycares on college campuses', dorm housing for women with children, and maternity coverage in health insurances. [22] They blame abortion rights activists for failing to secure provisions that would help make motherhood an easier choice for women. [22]
FFL's website features what are said to be quotes from several early feminists, some of which have been challenged by specialists in women's history. [23]
The quotes attributed to Anthony led to a dispute about her views on abortion. Much of the dispute centered on an anonymous article called "Marriage and Maternity" published in 1869 in Anthony's newspaper and signed "A". Anonymously written articles were common in The Revolution, which published a variety of viewpoints. [24] The author of this article used fervent religious language and called abortion "child-murder". [25] Pro-Life Feminism, a book published in 1995 by FFL leaders, said that Susan B. Anthony was the "A" who wrote the article. [26] Ann Dexter Gordon, an academic expert on Anthony, disagreed, saying that Anthony did not sign her writings as "A" [27] and that "many of the ideas expressed in the article clash with her known beliefs." [23] Another article in The Revolution that was signed "A" took issue with one of its editorials, [28] generating a discussion in which the editors referred to its author as "Mr. A." [29] [24]
FFL cites the writings of Stanton as supposedly opposing abortion, using her image many times on posters, flyers and other media. However, Stanton was a radical activist bent on reforming religious and society norms in order to halt the subjugation of women. She stayed out of the American Medical Association-generated debate about enacting laws against abortion, and she never voiced support for the criminalization of abortion or the restriction of women's right to choose. Instead, she advocated that women should always be allowed to choose when to have children, and how many to have – an approach which she called "voluntary motherhood". She assisted in the defense of poor women who were accused of killing their infants after birth, the most famous case being Hester Vaughn. Stanton was consistent in her belief that every woman should be the sole person to choose whether and how often she participated in childbearing. [30] Stanton herself was a likely practitioner of contraception to enable family planning, [31] and she was an opponent of the Comstock laws restricting education about contraception and abortion. [32] Stanton helped organize the Seneca Falls Convention, the first women's rights convention, and she was responsible for putting women's right to vote on the list of convention demands.
Regarding the 1868 "Child Murder" article in the Revolution, from which FFL takes a supposed Stanton quote, Gordon concluded that Stanton was not the author of this article, saying its "flat style" does not match Stanton's. Rather, it was likely written by Revolution co-editor Parker Pillsbury who used that same style in other articles. Thomas said that Pillsbury performed most of the day-to-day editorial activities for the newspaper because Stanton was away on speaking tours for much of the year, sending in her articles by mail. [30]
In 2007, Foster noted that FFL had reached 26,000 members, including the families of women who joined. [16]
During the confirmation hearings for John Roberts, his position on abortion was questioned in light of his wife's FFL membership, leading to intensified focus by the media on the group. [33]
Sarah Palin, the first woman to be nominated by the Republican Party for Vice President of the United States and the first female governor of Alaska, has been a FFL member since 2006. [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39]
Carol Crossed, founder of the New York chapter of Democrats for Life of America and former board member of FFL's New York chapter, purchased the Adams, Massachusetts, birthplace of Susan B. Anthony on August 5, 2006. [40] [41] FFL did not own the Susan B. Anthony birthplace, [41] which was opened as the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum on February 14, 2010. [42] Its mission states, "The Museum will highlight the familial and regional influences which shaped Ms. Anthony's early life, by displaying the textiles and furnishings of that period, as well as the literature and other memorabilia associated with her later career". [43] The birthplace is managed by The Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum, a non-profit corporation. [44]
FFL's anti-abortion positions have been criticized by other feminists. Katha Pollitt, columnist for The Nation , argues that FFL seeks to make abortion illegal in all cases, including those of rape, incest, health, major fetal defects, and "even some abortions most doctors would say were necessary to save the woman's life". [45]
FFL supported the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Pregnant and Parenting Students Act, which was criticized by writer Emily Bazelon in Mother Jones as a "largely hollow 'message bill'". [16] Bazelon opined that the 10 million dollars provided by the bill would be "paltry" when spread nationwide. [16] Bazelon quoted Frances Kissling, leader of the abortion rights organization Catholics for a Free Choice, as calling the bill "not serious", and adding that "if we support these message bills that don't really give women much help, then the real message we send is that we're not strongly committed to women". [16]
Some commentators have criticized FFL for not promoting contraception. Katha Pollitt says that she asked Serrin Foster about it, and that Foster replied in part that the Pill did not work for teenagers, which Pollitt said was a belief she knew to be false. [45] Feminist scholar Laury Oaks pointed out that FFL's silence on the subjects of contraception and safer sex "fails to address some of the most critical sexual and reproductive issues for women and presents views on pregnancy that cannot encompass the reality of many women's experiences". [2]
Susan B. Anthony was an American social reformer and women's rights activist who played a pivotal role in the women's suffrage movement. Born into a Quaker family committed to social equality, she collected anti-slavery petitions at the age of 17. In 1856, she became the New York state agent for the American Anti-Slavery Society.
Concerned Women for America (CWA) is a socially conservative, evangelical Christian non-profit women's legislative action committee in the United States. Headquartered in Washington D.C., the CWA is involved in social and political movements, through which it aims to incorporate Christian ideology. The group is primarily led by well-funded anti-feminist interests.
Liberal feminism, also called mainstream feminism, is a main branch of feminism defined by its focus on achieving gender equality through political and legal reform within the framework of liberal democracy and informed by a human rights perspective. It is often considered culturally progressive and economically center-right to center-left. As the oldest of the "Big Three" schools of feminist thought, liberal feminism has its roots in 19th century first-wave feminism seeking recognition of women as equal citizens, focusing particularly on women's suffrage and access to education, the effort associated with 19th century liberalism and progressivism. Liberal feminism "works within the structure of mainstream society to integrate women into that structure." Liberal feminism places great emphasis on the public world, especially laws, political institutions, education and working life, and considers the denial of equal legal and political rights as the main obstacle to equality. As such liberal feminists have worked to bring women into the political mainstream. Liberal feminism is inclusive and socially progressive, while broadly supporting existing institutions of power in liberal democratic societies, and is associated with centrism and reformism. Liberal feminism tends to be adopted by white middle-class women who do not disagree with the current social structure; Zhang and Rios found that liberal feminism with its focus on equality is viewed as the dominant and "default" form of feminism. Liberal feminism actively supports men's involvement in feminism and both women and men have always been active participants in the movement; progressive men had an important role alongside women in the struggle for equal political rights since the movement was launched in the 19th century.
Katha Pollitt is an American poet, essayist and critic. She is the author of four essay collections and two books of poetry. Her writing focuses on political and social issues from a left-leaning perspective, including abortion, racism, welfare reform, feminism, and poverty.
Anti-abortion feminism is the opposition to abortion by some feminists. Anti-abortion feminists may believe that the principles behind women's rights also call them to oppose abortion on right to life grounds and that abortion hurts women more than it benefits them.
The United States anti-abortion movement contains elements opposing induced abortion on both moral and religious grounds and supports its legal prohibition or restriction. Advocates generally argue that human life begins at conception and that the human zygote, embryo or fetus is a person and therefore has a right to life. The anti-abortion movement includes a variety of organizations, with no single centralized decision-making body. There are diverse arguments and rationales for the anti-abortion stance. Some anti-abortion activists allow for some permissible abortions, including therapeutic abortions, in exceptional circumstances such as incest, rape, severe fetal defects, or when the woman's health is at risk.
The Wish List is a political action committee devoted to electing pro-abortion rights, also called pro-choice, Republican women to the House of Representatives and Senate. The Wish List was founded in 1992. The acronym "WISH" stands for Women In the Senate and House. The Wish List recruits candidates to run for federal office and state legislative offices.
Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization that seeks to reduce and ultimately end abortion in the U.S. by supporting anti-abortion politicians, primarily women, through its SBA Pro-Life America Candidate Fund political action committee.
The Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum is a historic house museum at 67 East Road in Adams, Massachusetts. It is notable as the birthplace of suffragist Susan B. Anthony in 1820 and for its association with early educators and industrialists in Adams. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
Feminism is aimed at defining, establishing, and defending a state of equal political, economic, cultural, and social rights for women. It has had a massive influence on American politics. Feminism in the United States is often divided chronologically into first-wave, second-wave, third-wave, and fourth-wave feminism.
Atheist feminism is a branch of feminism that also advocates atheism. Atheist feminists hold that religion is a prominent source of female oppression and inequality, believing that the majority of the religions are sexist and oppressive towards women.
Marjorie Jones Dannenfelser is an American activist who is the president of the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, an American political organization that seeks to advance anti-abortion women in politics. She was brought into the organization as its executive director in 1993, shortly after its founding by Rachel MacNair.
Some variants of feminism are considered more conservative than others. Historically feminist scholars tend to not have much interest in conservative women but in recent years there have been efforts at greater scholarly analysis of these women and their views.
Ann Dexter Gordon is an American research professor in the department of history at Rutgers University and editor of the papers of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, a survey of more than 14,000 papers relating to the pair of 19th century women's rights activists. She is also the editor of the multi-volume work, Selected Papers of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, and has authored a number of other books about the history of the women's suffrage movement. She worked with popular historian Ken Burns on his 1999 book and appears in his documentary film about Stanton and Anthony. Since 2006, Gordon has repeatedly weighed in on the Susan B. Anthony abortion dispute stating that "Anthony spent no time on the politics of abortion. It was of no interest to her."
Susan B. Anthony was a leader of the American women's suffrage movement whose position on abortion has been the subject of a modern-day dispute. The dispute has primarily been between anti-abortion activists, who say that Anthony expressed opposition to abortion, and acknowledged authorities in her life and work who say that she did not.
Rachel M. MacNair is an American sociologist and psychologist who adheres to the consistent life ethic. She is an activist against abortion and war, and has written against the culture of violence and the eating of meat. An expert on veteran psychology, she coined the term "Perpetration-Induced Traumatic Stress" (PITS), a form of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that may result from the action of killing. She edited Working for Peace: A Handbook of Practical Psychology. She is also a Quaker, which influences her anti-violence work.
Women in conservatism in the United States have advocated for social, political, economic, and cultural conservative policies since anti-suffragism. Leading conservative women such as Phyllis Schlafly have expressed that women should embrace their privileged essential nature. This thread of belief can be traced through the anti-suffrage movement, the Red Scare, and the Reagan Era, and is still present in the 21st century, especially in several conservative women's organizations such as Concerned Women for America and the Independent Women's Forum.
Lucinda Cisler is an American abortion rights activist, Second Wave feminist, and member of the New York-based radical feminist group the Redstockings. Her writings on unnecessary obstructions to medical abortion procedures in many ways predicted anti-abortion strategies in the 2010s, called Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers (TRAP) by abortion rights advocates.
Ann Barr Snitow was an American feminist activist, writer and teacher. She was a co-founder of the New York Radical Feminists, and the (co-)author and (co-)editor of several books.
Feminists for Life, a group of women's advocates who oppose abortion, have unearthed quotations showing that many of the founders of the feminist movement had grave reservations about abortion. Susan B. Anthony called it 'child-murder'.
Rachel MacNair ...is the founder of the Susan B. Anthony List...
Palin...is in support of contraception, a position that lies beyond the scope of FFL's mission, Ms. Foster said.
NRLC wouldn't comment further, because, ... contraception lies outside of its purview. For the same reason, Feminists for Life refused interview requests.
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