Phyllis Schlafly Quotes

Powerful Phyllis Schlafly for Daily Growth

About Phyllis Schlafly

Phyllis Stewart Schlafly (1924-2016) was an influential American conservative political activist, attorney, and author known for her staunch opposition to feminism and the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Born in St. Louis, Missouri on August 15, 1924, Schlafly graduated summa cum laude from Washington University in St. Louis before earning a law degree from Washington University School of Law. Schlafly's political activism began during the 1950s, when she worked as a grassroots organizer for the Dwight D. Eisenhower campaign. This experience fostered her interest in politics and motivated her to establish the St. Louis County Federation of Republican Women, which aimed to increase women's involvement in the Republican Party. In 1964, Schlafly published "A Choice Not an Echo," a bestselling book that argued for the importance of conservative political candidates over moderates and liberals in elections. The book's success established her as a prominent figure within the conservative movement. During the 1970s, she gained national attention for her opposition to the ERA, organizing a grassroots campaign known as "STOP ERA" that successfully blocked ratification of the amendment. Schlafly's other notable works include "It Takes a Man and a Woman: Protecting the Institutions of Marriage," published in 1973, and "The Power of Positive Thinking for Women," released in 2006. Throughout her career, Schlafly was a prolific writer, publishing numerous articles, op-eds, and books on topics ranging from education to foreign policy. Phyllis Schlafly passed away on September 5, 2016, leaving behind a significant legacy as one of the most influential conservative political figures in American history. Her life and work continue to shape conversations surrounding women's rights, feminism, and conservative politics today.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The feminist attitude is that if women can't compete with men in everything men do, the solution is to eliminate the men from the picture."

This quote by Phyllis Schlafly implies a perceived conflict between feminism and gender equality, suggesting that some feminists view the goal of equality as being achieved only when women can surpass men in all areas traditionally dominated by men. The statement suggests that instead of empowering both genders to thrive together, this perspective encourages excluding or undervaluing men's roles, which could potentially hinder true gender equity and collaboration. However, it's essential to note that not all feminists share this perspective, as modern feminism aims to uplift and celebrate the diverse contributions of both genders in a society where everyone can reach their full potential.


"Feminism is a movement of women who would like an equal share of the blessings and the burdens of society."

Phyllis Schlafly's quote emphasizes that feminism, in her view, is a social movement aiming for gender equality where women desire to enjoy the same rights, opportunities, and responsibilities as men in all aspects of life—both the benefits and the challenges. In other words, it's about striving towards fairness and balance in society.


"The Equal Rights Amendment will not bring women equality. It will take power away from women and give it to men."

This quote by Phyllis Schlafly suggests that, in her view, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) would inadvertently lead to a loss of power for women. She believed that rather than promoting gender equality, the ERA would transfer existing power structures from women to men, thus not achieving its intended goal of equality. The implication is that the solution to achieving genuine gender equality lies beyond the legal framework proposed by the ERA and requires addressing deep-seated societal power dynamics.


"The ERA is designed to force women into combat units, which are the most dangerous places in the military."

The quote suggests that Phyllis Schlafly believed the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) would compel women to serve in combat roles within the military. This interpretation is based on her argument that combat units, being the most hazardous areas of the armed forces, would be impacted by the ERA's mandate for gender equality.


"Everyone has a role and that's not going to change, but women have a special role, a unique role, as mother and homemaker."

This quote suggests that each individual has a specific and unchanging role in society, with the implication that there are distinct gender roles, namely, men as providers and women as primary caregivers (as mothers and homemakers). The statement implies that these roles are inherent, natural, and unique to their respective genders. This view overlooks the diversity of individual talents, aspirations, and social contexts, and may limit opportunities for personal growth and gender equality.


The most dangerous area where our laws are not being faithfully executed are the laws designed to protect Americans against the millions of aliens who enter our country illegally every year.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Country, Laws, Area, Executed

When I had a baby, I didn't leave the second floor for six months. I nursed my babies. I was a full-time homemaker. I taught them all how to read before I let them go to school. So I gave them that care in the early life that somehow feminists have been led to believe is demeaning and is not worth the time of an educated woman.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Woman, Been, Full-Time, Demeaning

I went through college while working a full-time manual-labor job, and I don't regret a minute of it; it was a great learning experience.

- Phyllis Schlafly

College, Through, Full-Time, Great Learning

I think the main goal of the feminist movement was the status degradation of the full-time homemaker. They really wanted to get all women out of the homes and into the workforce. And again and again, they taught that the only fulfilling lifestyle was to be in the workforce reporting to a boss instead of being in the home reporting to a husband.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Boss, Full-Time, I Think, Feminist

I would not want to be called a feminist. The feminists don't believe in success for women and, of course, I believe that American women are the most fortunate people who ever lived on the face of the earth, can do anything they make up their minds to do.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Believe, American, Anything, Feminist

The European nations' loss of sovereignty to the EU should be a warning to Americans.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Loss, EU, European Nations, Sovereignty

National Standards was not a narrative of past events but was leftwing revisionism and Political Correctness.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Past, Standards, Correctness, Past Events

It is a mystery why any Americans would support the concept of the EU.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Mystery, Concept, Would, EU

If we don't stop immigration - this torrent of immigrants coming in - we're not going to be America anymore because most of the people coming in have no experience with limited government. They don't know what that is.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Immigration, Going, Limited, Limited Government

A lot of people don't understand what feminism is. They think it is about advance and success for women, but it's not that at all. It is about power for the female left. And they have this, I think, ridiculous idea that American women are oppressed by the patriarchy and we need laws and government to solve our problems for us.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Idea, I Think, About, Women Are

Since the women are the ones who bear the babies, and there's nothing we can do about that, our laws and customs then make it the financial obligation of the husband to provide the support. It is his obligation and his sole obligation. And this is exactly and precisely what we will lose if the Equal Rights Amendment is passed.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Financial, Amendment, About, Women Are

And the first commandment of feminism is: I am woman; thou shalt not tolerate strange gods who assert that women have capabilities or often choose roles that are different from men's.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Woman, Gods, Capabilities, Shalt

Of course climate changes. Many changes are due to factors over which humans have no control, such as winds, ocean currents, and sun activity. But the liberals want us to believe that climate change is also caused by gases expelled when humans burn so-called fossil fuels.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Changes, Believe, Activity, Expelled

Birth on U.S. territory has never been an absolute claim to citizenship.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Never, Been, Absolute, Claim

Forcing women in or near land combat will hurt recruiting, not help.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Help, Will, Forcing, Recruiting

ERA means abortion funding, means homosexual privileges, means whatever else.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Funding, Privileges, Means, Homosexual

It is long overdue for parents to realize they have the right and duty to protect our children against the intolerant evolutionists.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Children, Duty, Against, Overdue

How can we protect homeland security unless the government stops the invasion of illegal aliens?

- Phyllis Schlafly

Government, Security, How, Illegal Aliens

Congress should pass legislation to remove from the federal courts their jurisdiction to hear these outrageous challenges to the Ten Commandments and the Pledge of Allegiance.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Ten Commandments, Congress, Pledge

Boys are more likely than girls to look at the cost-benefit tradeoff of going to college. The imbalance of far more women than men at colleges has been a factor in the various sex scandals that have made news in the last couple of years.

- Phyllis Schlafly

College, Been, Imbalance, Factor

My college degree is from a great university in 1944. I got my master's at Harvard graduate school, completely co-ed, in 1945. My mother got her college degree in 1920. What's the problem? Those opportunities were always there for women.

- Phyllis Schlafly

College, University, Got, Graduate School

Suppose the pay gap between men and women were magically eliminated. If that happened, simple arithmetic suggests that half of women would be unable to find what they regard as a suitable mate.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Pay, Eliminated, Half, Arithmetic

Feminism is doomed to failure because it is based on an attempt to repeal and restructure human nature.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Nature, Failure, Based, Doomed

Putting women in military combat is the cutting edge of the feminist goal to force us into an androgynous society.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Goal, Combat, Putting, Androgynous

Location is the key to most businesses, and the entrepreneurs typically build their reputation at a particular spot.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Build, Most, Entrepreneurs, Businesses

We need a new leader in Congress who will represent the issues that Donald Trump ran on because they were the winning issues.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Leader, New, Donald, Ran

I simply didn't believe we needed a constitutional amendment to protect women's rights. I knew of only one law that was discriminatory toward women, a law in North Dakota stipulating that a wife had to have her husband's permission to make wine.

- Phyllis Schlafly

North Dakota, Amendment, Wine

Now that judges embrace forcibly starving someone to death, Congress should use its appropriation power to starve the judicial budget.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Death, Embrace, Starving, Judges

It's not the physical location of birth that defines citizenship, but whether your parents are citizens, and the express or implied consent to jurisdiction of the sovereign.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Citizenship, Birth, Implied, Sovereign

A country isn't sovereign if we can't control who comes in and who's allowed to come in.

- Phyllis Schlafly

Control, Country, Allowed, Sovereign

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