Anne Schlafly Asks – Where Is Gloria Steinem?

Perhaps you’ve heard about the Hulu series called Mrs. America, which ostensibly tells the stories of both Phyllis Schlafly and Gloria Steinem and other prominent female figures who fought for/against the Equal Rights Amendment.  Here’s a preview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiariKwWvhI

Phyllis Schlafly’s family was not consulted during the making of this series, and her daughter Anne, in particular, has been quite vocal about her objection to her Phyllis’ portrayal.

Opponents to the ERA point to several key reasons why the amendment is unnecessary and even harmful to women’s rights.  First of all, our Constitution already protects women every bit as much as it protects men. But beyond that, passage of the ERA would result in women having to sign up for Selective Service and be potentially exposed to more combat roles, which would completely change the dynamic of the teams of frontline combat fighters on which we rely.

The ERA could also potentially put women-only institutions at risk – we’re talking everything from shelters to prisons to sports teams. So instead of helping women, this amendment could actually endanger them. Gender designations on bathrooms/locker rooms?  Gone.

And of course there’s the probability that under the ERA, abortions would be government funded – because to limit abortions in any way would equate to sex discrimination if you abide by the most logical interpretation of the amendment language.  And forget about any late-term restrictions.

In any case, there’s been a lot of buzz around the new Mrs. America series, and interestingly, not a lot of comment from Gloria Steinem about her own portrayal.

Phyllis’ daughter Anne wants to know why, and she wrote the piece below.  Enjoy!

Anne Schlafly Asks: Where is Gloria Steinem?

Hulu’s Mrs. America Features Feminist Leader Who Remains Silent About Series

Where is Gloria Steinem? The ongoing Hulu drama, “Mrs. America,” prominently features the work and love life of feminist crusader, Gloria Steinem. But, Steinem has been absent from any discussion of the series that often depicts her as shallow and disloyal. She has made a career as a writer and social justice warrior. She is even co-founder of the Women’s Media Center, so why isn’t she commenting on the show’s portrayal of her part in history?

“Mrs. America” incorrectly portrays my mother, Phyllis Schlafly, as power-mad and condescending to women, but the show uses a broad-brush on Gloria Steinem too. She is depicted as superficial and self-centered. She seemingly thinks that most debates are too lowly for her to participate, so she often sends someone else in her place.

I have never met Gloria Steinem, but I believe that women seem to objectify each other far too much on the public stage. Think about how much energy was spent debating why Hillary Clinton always wore pant suits instead of skirts or dresses during the 2016 presidential election. She was running for the highest office in the land and many people, often females, had to dish about what she was wearing. “Mrs. America” is more concerned with the hair, long nails, and eyeglasses of Gloria Steinem. She was clearly beautiful, but did that mean she was also vain? These attributes are not necessarily a package deal.

The series creator, Dahvi Waller, admitted in a recent interview that she had her people reach out to Steinem about the show, so maybe she had some influence in her own portrayal. Meanwhile, Phyllis’s family, myself included, was not given any kind of information on the show and Waller has bragged that she did not want to be influenced by the children of Phyllis and Fred Schlafly.

Fictionalizing Phyllis and Gloria may make for interesting television, but it will fail to inspire the next generation of female leaders, which was the real mission these two women shared for decades – even if from different sides of the aisle. Here’s why: “Mrs. America” misses the mission these women had in their lives. While they aligned with different political parties, they were both motivated to lead in a political arena which was then, and still is today, made up predominantly of men. Both had guts and drive.

My mother was driven by her deep faith, which is not depicted at all in the series. She believed in something greater than self. She believed her life was meant to serve God, so she devoted herself to her country and her cause. Phyllis Schlafly found self-fulfillment through the compromises needed to build a successful marriage and family. I am sure Gloria has a similar drive to change the world and leave behind a better place for others. I would love to hear more about what inspires her. Sadly, we don’t see any of that heart in “Mrs. America”.

The legacy of Gloria Steinem and Phyllis Schlafly will be all of the women they inspired to put on their boxing gloves and get into the political fray. Will we see more heart in these final episodes or hear more from Gloria Steinem about what inspired her role in history? I hope so. I know how they have twisted the truth on Phyllis Schlafly, so Gloria should respond. Otherwise, the legacy of the “Mrs. America” series may just be beautiful actors in great clothes but missing the true inner strength of women.

Discuss.