Phyllis Schlafly Politician, activist Date of Birth: 15.08.1924 Country: USA

1. Biography of Phyllis Schlafly
2. Early Life and Education
3. Early Career
4. A Choice, Not an Echo
5. Later Career and Opposition to the ERA
6. Legacy

Biography of Phyllis Schlafly

Phyllis Schlafly was an American political figure and conservative activist, best known as the founder of the 'Eagle Forum'. She gained prominence as a staunch opponent of feminist ideas and as an activist against the Equal Rights Amendment.

Early Life and Education

Phyllis Schlafly grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. During the Great Depression, her father was unemployed for a period of time, and her mother had to work to support the family. Despite the challenges, her mother's determination allowed Phyllis to attend a Catholic girls' school. She entered college at a relatively young age and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1944. In 1945, she became a master's degree holder. While studying, Phyllis worked as a model, a ballistics technician, and a worker at the world's largest ammunition plant. She later earned a law degree from the Washington University Law School in 1978.

Early Career

In 1946, Phyllis Schlafly began working at the American Enterprise Institute and simultaneously participated in the successful pre-election campaign of Claude I. Bakewell, who was running for the House of Representatives. In 1952, she attempted to run for Congress herself but was unsuccessful due to representing the Republican Party in a traditionally Democratic district. For some time, Phyllis remained relatively unknown to the general public.

A Choice, Not an Echo

Phyllis Schlafly achieved true success in 1964 when she self-funded the release of her legendary work, 'A Choice, Not an Echo,' during Barry Goldwater's presidential campaign. In this book, Schlafly accused Rockefeller Republicans of corruption and globalism. The central theme was the conspiracy theory of secret "kingmakers" controlling the party.

Later Career and Opposition to the ERA

In 1967, Phyllis Schlafly attempted to become the president of the National Federation of Republican Women but was surpassed by a more moderate candidate, Gladys O'Donnell. She worked with the John Birch Society for some time but later distanced herself from the movement, realizing that the true communist threat lay outside the country. In 1970, she made another attempt to enter government as a representative from Illinois but lost to Democrat George E. Shipley.

During the 1970s, Schlafly became one of the most prominent opponents of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). She argued that the amendment would deprive American women of various benefits, such as social security benefits for military women. She started her campaign against the amendment in 1972, by which time 28 out of the necessary 38 states had already ratified it. While five states joined after she began her campaign, five others revoked their ratification.

Schlafly continued to argue that the ERA would inevitably lead to female military conscription and unisex bathrooms. She faced opposition from the National Organization for Women (NOW) and the newly formed Homemakers' Equal Rights Association. Critics of Schlafly pointed out the contradiction in her views, as she was a successful and independent businesswoman fighting against equal rights. Ultimately, the ERA failed to pass, garnering only 35 votes.

Legacy

Phyllis Schlafly continued to be involved in politics and devoted a significant amount of time to leading the 'Eagle Forum,' which she established in the 1970s. Her activism and advocacy cemented her place as an influential conservative figure in American politics.