Mother of the year? I don't think so!

[beckyg]

PFLAG Urges Washington University to Reconsider
Honorary Doctorate for Phyllis Schlafly
Controversial Activist Has Long History of Anti-GLBT, Anti-Woman
Positions

St. Louis, Missouri - Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
(PFLAG) has joined calls by Washington University students and faculty,
urging the school to reconsider its plans to honor controversial
activist Phyllis Schlafly with an honorary doctorate at the school's May
16 commencement ceremonies in St. Louis. Schlafly, founder of the
conservative advocacy group The Eagle Forum, has been an outspoken
opponent of equal rights measures for the women's and gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender community. In addition to her opposition to
marriage equality for the GLBT community, Schlafly has also sought to
block public school curriculums which present honest portrayals of GLBT
people.

"Phyllis Schlafly has spent much of her life on a crusade to roll-back
opportunities for millions of people, including many of the students at
Washington University," said Dr. Dean L. Rosen, president of PFLAG's St.
Louis chapter. "She has consistently opposed full equality for women
and for gays and lesbians, and has pushed her anti-equality agenda in
our schools and our state houses. As parents and allies of GLBT young
people, we are alarmed that Washington University would honor someone
who has such a long track record of attacking our children."

In 2005, Schlafly, whose son is openly gay, wrote, in opposition to a
proposed curriculum in Montgomery County, Maryland, public schools that,
"Some teachers hang pro-homosexual posters in their classrooms, discuss
their lesbian lifestyle in class, and refer students to gay, lesbian and
bisexual organizations, while not allowing posters celebrating
traditional families." She has also opposed adoption rights for
same-sex couples and allowing GLBT Americans to serve in the armed
forces.

"Mrs. Schlafly has one of the longest track records opposing equal
opportunity of any activist in America," said PFLAG executive director
Jody M. Huckaby. "She would gladly embrace any measure to block
progress for gay Americans, including her own son, and she would welcome
a world where some students are considered less than others. That's
unacceptable, and renders her unworthy of this honor. We encourage
Washington University to find a more suitable person to applaud."

Students and faculty have not asked that Schlafly be disinvited as a
speaker for the commencement, but only that she not receive the proposed
degree. A Facebook group of those united in opposition to honoring
Schlafly now has more than 1,000 members, according to the St. Louis
Post-Dispatch.

[sparkyboyM]

*cough* well...there certainly are some pretty stupid people in high places.

[heatqueen]

"Some teachers hang pro-homosexual posters in their classrooms, discuss
their lesbian lifestyle in class, and refer students to gay, lesbian and
bisexual organizations, while not allowing posters celebrating
traditional families."

Sheesh. It's not as if we're going around demanding that the entire world be gay or something, we just want equal rights!!! What an awful woman...tsk tsk...

[Trumpetplyer23]

I find the word 'anti-equality' to be humorous, because a word like that just shows how ignorant these people truly are. Is 'anti-equality' even in the dictionary?

i get the homophobic thing, even if i dont like it... but against womens rights? isnt she a woman!???

[sdc91]

Whoa, she has a gay son and she campaigns to prevent him from receiving equality?

That's some nerve she has.

I nominate Becky to replace her!!

[beckyg]

I've been doing some reading on this woman and evidently she's said there is no such thing as "rape"for a married woman if its her husband doing the act because when she married him, she should be always willing.

[Jim1454]

Wow - who was the person that suggested she get an honorary diploma? Who even invited her? Who'd want to hear her speak at a graduation? I wouldn't.

[pirateninja]

Originally Posted by sdc91

I nominate Becky to replace her!!

I second that!!!

Ugh, I'm terribly disgusted that she is openly anti-lgbt when she has a son who is gay. I feel sorry for whoever he is.

Yeah this woman is insane. She was in my history book last year as a leading opponent of ERA. I'm like you are anti equality for women when you are one? She's anti equality for most fronts and is a completely unacceptable person.

[Mirko]

Thanks beckyg for posting that. I really would like to know who nominated her for the Honorary Doctorate. Don't they do any sort of checks on people before they nominate them or bestow honorary degrees on them? How much money did she promise to the University? If she gets that degree, what would the university give to someone who accurately portrays GLBT people and issues and fights for the equality of women and the GLBT community?

[Defraction]

Doesn't anyone else see the irony in how she's well educated, published many books, is on many front cover magazines, has ran for places of power in various states, and yet fully opposes these opportunities for other women?

I don't know how far her beliefs go, but anti-feminist means that she shouldn't be allowed to do this... (as far as I know) it's "taking away the men's jobs". Shouldn't Phyllis be a proper woman and housewife and... do the laundry or something?

[Jeimuzu]

Originally Posted by Defraction

Doesn't anyone else see the irony in how she's well educated, published many books, is on many front cover magazines, has ran for places of power in various states, and yet fully opposes these opportunities for other women?

I don't know how far her beliefs go, but anti-feminist means that she shouldn't be allowed to do this... (as far as I know) it's "taking away the men's jobs". Shouldn't Phyllis be a proper woman and housewife and... do the laundry or something?

True, good point. Usually, anti-equality types say that women should speak only when spoken to and such rubbish, whereas she's hardly doing that.

[Martin]

Anybody have the link to the facebook group opposing her? ^_^

[beckyg]

I'll find it, but for now here is the Chancellor's e-mail. A friend of mine wrote him an e-mail.

Becky,

Washington University's Chancellor Wrighton can be contacted at:

wrighton@wustl.edu

Maybe we can have some influence. Here is a copy of the letter I just
sent; use it any way you wish.

Bob

Dear Chancellor Wrighton,

I just read an online article that says Washington University plans to
confer an honorary degree on Phyllis Schlafly at the May commencement
ceremonies. I find this absolutely astounding.

The article goes on to say that many students, faculty and staff are
urging the university not to confer the honorary degree in light of
her national notoriety for many years actively opposing equal rights
for the LGBT community.

As a straight person, understanding the harm homophobia inflicts on
our society, I fully support those students, faculty and staff and
urge you not to confer an honorary degre on her. Such an honor should
be confered on someone who is recognized for their work in bettering
the nation and the world, not on those who promote bigotry and ill
will.

Thank you for considering my petition,

[beckyg]

Here it is:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gi...6742698&ref=mf

She should seriously reconsider what she stands for.
ah people with crazy values xD

[Jeimuzu]

Right, I'm sending my own email too.

Dear Chancellor Wrighton

I am a student of a university. If it were your university, I would be seriously considering leaving right now.

I'm sure you've got some idea that this is regarding the honourary degree you intend to bestow upon Phyllis Schlafly at the May commencement ceremonies.

I beg you to reconsider.

I am a gay man. So are thousands of students worldwide. I honestly believed bigotry was for the uneducated; those who didn't know better, who'd never been taught enough about the world to understand that people are equal and deserve equal opportunities. I usually feel sorry for them; there is only so much of the world you can truly enjoy with a closed mind.

I certainly don't bestow the honours usually saved for the intelligent and well-educated upon them.

How is it possible that a faculty of educated people consider a woman who - despite her own openly gay son - has a mind so closed to the real world, a suitable candidate for being honoured? I am working towards a degree of my own. Would it be easier if I dropped out now, and instead spent my time spitting vitriol at those who don't fit into my ideal version of the perfect human race? Would you give me my degree for free, or is this a one-off thing?

A person who deserves honouring is a person who has helped others. She hinders. Being a public figure does not qualify someone for honouring; again, I'd have thought a faculty of a major university such as yours would surely realise that.

Yours faithfully
James O'Malley

[beckyg]

Originally Posted by Jeimuzu

Right, I'm sending my own email too.

I love it!!!

[Miaplacidus]

Here goes mine.

Dear Chancellor Wrighton,

I've read that your university plans to honor Ms. Phyllis Schlafly with an honorary doctorate, something I find completely astounding as Ms. Schlafly has a long history of fighting against the rights of some American citizens, such as women and non-heterosexuals.

The latest research (such as census information and polls) indicates that women and non-heterosexuals conform at least half of the world's population, and by extension approximately half of your university's student body. As a bisexual man and a student at an university, I can tell that I wouldn't be happy if my university gave a honorary degree to a person with such views. In fact, I'd seriously consider studying somewhere else.

In my country (Uruguay), a person like Ms. Schlafly would probably face legal trouble, as discrimination is illegal in all its forms and explicitly so on the basis of gender and sexual orientation - because what she does has no other name but discrimination.

From what I've learned about your country, American society puts family in a very important place. Please consider that this woman is doing everything possible to deny her own son (and herself) basic rights which have long been granted even in a third world country like mine. Try to see through her son's eyes. How would it feel to have her as your mother?

I ask you to reconsider this decision. Please remember that, by giving her this degree, you're backing her views. I wouldn't like to see that a prestigious institution such as yours considers that at least half of the world's population shouldn't have the same rights as the rest.

Yours faithfully,

Frederick Monroe-Freier
Chief Editor
Full Spectrum Magazine