By Sharon Abercrombie
Citizen-Journal Staff Writer
Women’s Liberation groups that support abortion may be weakening the entire feminist movement says an OSU linguistics professor and an Ohio Dominican College senior.
A great many women who agree with most feminist causes refuse to join liberation groups because of the abortion issue, point out professor Catherine Callahan and Mrs. Patricia Goltz.
Another practical consideration: Anti-life lib groups are killing off potential membership; girl babies.
The two are co-organizers of a new group, Feminists for Life. Idea is to attract membership from women who are both pro-life and pro-equality, said Mrs. Goltz.
Feminists for Life will exist primarily as an educational service to acquaint women with “all the alternatives to pregnancy” as well as work for women’s lib goals.
In a statement of purpose, the leaders said their organization takes two basic stands: Full equality for women in all areas and the right of every baby to be born.
“We demand an end to all legal, social, and economic discrimination against women, including mass media stereotypes. We recognize all people as individuals with equal rights, including the unborn.”
“We believe it is inconsistent to demand rights for ourselves and deny them to unborn babies. Without the right to life, all other rights to life are meaningless. Further since roughly 50 percent of the unborn girls, halve the abortions kill our sisters.”
“We hope to see an end to pro-abortion stands in other feminist organizations. By diverting time and energy into abortion legislation, these groups have deemphasized the struggle for legal and social equality. In addition they have diverted many potential feminists from joining the movement.”
Feminists for Life is an independent organization. It is not affiliated with Birthright, a service group which helps women who decide to have their babies, or Right to Life, an educational organization which opposes abortion, “but we are sympathetic to their goals,” said Dr. Callaghan.
Both women are aware that they may be accused of callousness. “We’re not,” said Mrs. Goltz. “We’re aware of the problems a girl faces with an unplanned pregnancy. But the problems just don’t justify abortion as a solution.”
For further information contact Feminists for Life at PO Box 5631, Columbus, Ohio 43221.
