Feminist Fantasies

by Phyllis Schlafly

Essays written during the 1980s and 1990s argue that most women have no need or desire to work outside the home, and to do so damages the security of both the economy and family life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Feminism, Politics, Gender, History, Research

262 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2003

About the author

Phyllis Schlafly (1924-2016) was an American constitutional lawyer, conservative activist, and author.

She was known for her staunch social and political conservatism, her opposition to modern feminism, and her successful campaign against the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s.

Reviews

[Nathan Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started this book in an honest attempt at understanding more about the feminist movement. (I am curious to compare the movement aims with the recent achievements of Hillary Clinton.) However, this book is not an honest appraisal of the feminist movement, and instead denigrates women in general. The hard-hitting "evidence" used to back up the ridiculous claims were quotes from movies and the synopsis of characters from TV shows. (stuff like: "Jessie's character on Melrose Place proves feminists want to eliminate social security." or "Thelma and Louise personify the violent culture of feminism.")

[Maria Calhoun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this book a while ago and got off track reading in. But from the mother of anti-feminism is a great collection of Mrs. Schlafly's work over the years. She addresses every issue. She is an amazing women and I am excited about what I have read so far.

[James Johnson · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author was wrong about so much that I'd have to question the things she wrote that were seemingly correct. This book was one giant straw man logical fallacy with no substance or validity to the claims.

[Traveller]

Phyllis Schlafly must have been the model for "Fred"'s wife in The Handmaid's Tale.

[Dinjolina]

Like communism, feminism has been a catastrophe for the people it was meant to help.

I am forever in awe of people with influence- politicians, actors, authors, any kind of public figures – that kind of bang their fist on a table and vocally dismiss a very layered topic in one measly sentence that is not corroborated by anything.

Mixing communism and feminism in the same beath is cringe worthy. Using communism as an example of common ground for feminism?
Pure arrogance.
It is a uppity way of telling somebody ‘This is my point. If you have a problem with it….look! A bird!!’.
Diverting the attention of people is somewhat of an old trade. But this author up’s the stakes – she diverts our attention with glorified sentence constructions. She does not just yell about birds…she compares. She lulls us in to believing she can make philosophical links between major movements by being very smart. She compels us to think big, be struk dumb at her brilliance.

Well, my pretties, the word incomparable is not just something romance authors use to describe to us the beauty of our heroine. It can also be put in this kind of sentence:
‘Communism and feminism incomparable in every way that matters.’
If you still dare to use those two movements in the same sentence, then be prepared to be laughed at, seeing as how even in the most universal things they still are separate entities.

Also…I have to say…communism never being helpful is a viewpoint reserved for dictaturing capitalist diplomacy.

What?

First off, I am NOT a communist. Nor do I live in a communist country. I am not even a very big fan of the movement. BUT, it is a fact that communistic revolutions can birth good socialism. And in some places socialism …gasp of gasps….works. Thus, helping the people it should help – the workers. The little people.

So, what does this mean?

Not only is this author confusingly lumping anything that comes to mind, she is directly lying.

In the same way communism CAN help the little people, feminism can help the women. And not only does feminism help women in an even more prominent and direct way than communism can help the working class, it gave us the rights that we have today.
That same feminism made this lady author the person that is allowed to write a book aaaaand....publish it. Under her own name! Without her husband tossing her out on the street without a penny while keeping her worldly goods to himself.
But I am sure the feministic educational reforms in England way back when were just a small feat for Mrs. Author. While we are at it, maybe we should also renounce our rights to vote and go back to needle pointing.
No?
Well, then. I rest my case.

But I still have to add, profeminist fighters, suffragettes and all the other women that died for the good cause of giving other women the right to be educated, be their own masters, own properties, vote,etc are rolling in the graves that this so called author spit upon.

[AJ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book a few years ago after reading several books written by feminists that I thought were whiny and where the most compelling argument I found was "men are mean to me!" I believe in women's rights and that women should have the same opprotunities and freedoms that men enjoy. Apparently Mrs. Schlafly disagrees.

Her arguments are weak and filled with malice and nonsensical diatribes, not to mention the hypocrisy of them considering that she was a working mother (writing books and going on tours to support them while her children were at home) yet says that women who choose to work (like she did) and raise their children are selfish.

One part I remember clearly is the brief period she used to address women who want to work and have a husband who stays home and cares for their children, do all the cooking, cleaning, et cetera. She tells them that men just don't want to. So when a woman doesn't want to stay home with her children she is selfish and immature, but when a man doesn't want to he's just a man.

I have to say, after reading this book I was more interested in feminism than I have ever been before.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Counter argument to The Feminine Mystique with logic and better reasoned arguments. Addresses the true nature of women and not trying to take what's natural away from them.

[Dominique Dunford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give 5 out of 5, if I was conservative, but I don't believe in all of the conservative concepts. But, what did make this book great was that I had a good reason to consider the other side and I do agree that the feminist viewpoint to a certain extent can make women reconsider and/or confuse spiritual and familial values that they may have once believed true or the opportunity to cultivate these values.

[Brandon Minster · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was reading this book at school once and someone saw the title and thought it was a book of erotica. I wish!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book. I recommend it to everyone!

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book long ago. I am a 64 year old male. I was raised in a very liberal fashion by liberal parents in an extremely liberal town, one of the most liberal towns in the US. I absorbed this. My mom was dominant, very atheltic, lifeguard, and a very hard working woman. She was abaondoned by her father in the depression, worked as a live in nanny, and worked her way through teachers college. I admired her greatly. My view of relationships was very progressive. It was also very destructive and unrealistic.

The book said that many women's lives had been ruined by feminist fantasies. I realized mine had been close to ruined. The real issue for women is whether they want to follow some feminist ideals or be happy in their own lives. IMO women should follow their own paths to make them happy. Their feminist professors are often very unhappy.

The book is worth reading.

[The American Conservative]

'Getting inside another person’s head is not one of Schlafly’s talents. This is no loss. She already has more talents than one person could be expected to bear.
All that Schlafly admires in Scarlett we can admire in her. American women owe Schlafly a great debt for her own strong will and determination. Without her we would now be dealing with the clumsy aftermath of the ERA, and all the myriad problems that, without Schlafly’s help, we would not have foreseen. She’s an unusual woman, with a strong, clear mind that few, male or female, can equal. May God send us dozens more.'

Read the full review, "Woman's Best Friend," on our website:
http://www.theamericanconservative.co...

[deborah hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have read this book twice and am considering doing so a third time. Her points about what they are trying to do and what they have done are spot on. Seeing the results of these "progressive" women's ideas and ideologies today, one can only weep and become angry. So much has been destroyed since wives have abandoned their husbands and mothers their children. This in turn has caused husbands to abandon their wives and fathers their children. The author speaks in a prophetic voice to our day and age. Well written and highly recommended.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book for anyone who wants a precise analysis of the social and economic disaster that is feminist policy.

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like even when this book was published it was probably very dated. But now, 20 years later, it is extremely dated.
It is written for those who have the option to choose a single income family model, who have the option to get a higher education, and who want kids.
It pigeon holes people into very narrowly defined roles, which don't work for everyone, nor does everyone want it that way. It promotes male and female roles that are perfect for some, but seriously limiting, dangerous or impractical to others.
And it was very rah-rah United States, which is fine. But I'm not sure that the American culture the author was promoting is actually good or is actually available to all Americans. So it seems a bit disingenuous.
I imagine I am not the targeted audience for this book though, I am not American, I am not married, I don't have (or want) kids, and instead of prince charming coming to save me from this terrible career, I'm waiting to win the lottery (like everyone else).

[Sheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book, like all of Schlafly’s that I've read, is a collection of articles, in this case mostly from her newsletter and thus each is 2 pages long. If you like that sort of thing, it's pretty well done -- organized by subject, with little repetition for the most part, and the writing is entertaining enough. On the downside, the book tends more historical than current; I thought the ERA over discussed, for instance, to the point where I would have inserted a historical overview to place some of the essays for readers who weren't there at the time.

But I am not a fan of that format in general. It best supports preaching to the choir, since there's no possibility of sustained argument or of one concept logically building on another, meaning you may get flashes of insight and interesting observations, but shouldn't expect much more. She does often discuss studies or offer pertinent facts, however she doesn’t reference worth squat and mostly assumes her readers are fundamentally in sympathy with her.

OTOH, she makes a lot of valid points. Feminists complain about how younger women don’t appreciate what they’ve done, but I would argue that younger women often recognize the harm feminists have done and that’s why they don’t want to identify as feminist. First wave feminists fought for women to have the right to do things they were perfectly capable of, from accounting to voting, but they fought on the grounds that it was unfair to hold capable women back.

Second wave feminists started there but quickly shifted to arguing that the rules should be changed so women don’t have to do as well as men to hold down the same job. Not only did a lot of women think this unnecessary, in some areas it made it harder for competent women to be considered competent, because the men who worked with them had worked with so many incompetent women! I’ve never heard any once-self-identified-feminist complain about the feminist-inspired blind auditions, or the studies showing people ranked writing and resumes down when they thought it was done by a woman, or any of the other clear demonstrations of prejudice. Different story when it comes to lowering standards or imposing quotas to supposedly benefit women.

It’s not her main purpose, but Schlafly often gets to the heart of why a lot of people who identified as feminists in the early seventies now reject that title.

[Elizabeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

from the library

next time order the unabridged cd's with the hardcover

re p 48 'Can babies and husbands cope?' if everyone had guaranteed health care, shelter and retirement I could agree with PS much more easily.

Contents:
The revolution is over --
The media : mirror or maker of trends? --
Questioning a woman's place --
A gender-neutral military? --
Marriage and motherhood.

[AYAH · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aside from her infrequent criticism of "Mozlem" ways & her clear endorsement of Israel, this is one truly wise woman!

[Lana Glover · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good compilation of Mrs. Schafly's articles, writings and speeches.

[Jeff Stout · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely among the best book I've read this year!

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feminist Fantasies written by political activist, Phyllis Schlafly, combines her morals and wit into a 246 page book that reads like a blog (if they had existed in the 1980s). Her writings—based on newspaper articles, magazines, television interviews, and movies—are evidence against radical feminism. A one women army against the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, Schlafly goes down in history as the guardian of conservative families in America.

The author uncovers many examples of the way radical feminists want to change the vocation of child-rearing from parents to the government. “The feminists’ longtime, self-proclaimed goal is an androgynous society. Repudiating constitutional intent, history, tradition, and human nature, they seek to forbid us, in public or private life, to recognize the differences between men and women.”

Schlafly promotes traditional gender roles— modest, feminine women and strong, protective men—as examples of positive role models for society. Throughout her writings, she exposes the repercussions of the sexual revolution, the hypocrisy of sexual harassment and the slippery slope of the erosion of traditional family values.

A feminist fantasy discussed at length is the denial of traditional family roles. In a feminist fantasy, one can deny her gender. In a feminist fantasy, women should be paid equivalent to men, even if women choose safer careers, work less hours and have less experience. In a feminist fantasy, we can ignore the differences between men and women and have gender-neutral courts. Under the reign of former President Bill Clinton’s Administration (and Hillary Rodham Clinton), the gender feminist movement thrived—an ironic situation at best. Throughout the book, the author makes a case for the obvious role that the government and the media played in promoting the radical feminist agenda.

“It’s time to set the record straight,” states Schlafly, “The claim that American women are downtrodden and unfairly treated is the fraud of the century. The truth is that American women never had it so good. Why should we lower ourselves to ‘equal rights’ when we already have the status of special privilege?”

[Richelle Moral Government · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first heard about Phyllis Schlafly from the show Mrs. America. I could tell they were trying to make her look bad, but they couldn't because she was 100% correct. So I got this book on audible. I enjoyed the forward by Ann Coulter. The book was a little disjointed, I think it is a collection of her newsletters. But it's so interesting to see her perspective from her, seeing the feminist movement changing the culture and accurately predicting the logical conclusion of the ideas. I grew up within this feminist culture and now I'm seeing how insane it's getting with the denial of female and male physical differences, women in the military, gender-neutral restrooms, etc. The only reason we don't have women in the draft now is because the Supreme Court has refused to hear the case. I'm nostalgic for a time I can't remember when the vulnerability of being a woman, being the one who can get pregnant, and being physically weaker and smaller and at risk from male aggression. A time when women weren't expected to have sex or be called prudes and made fun of. I want my privileges back! Her writing style is entertaining. It's amazing that she "went viral" back in the day when people had to actually print on paper and mail newsletters. Now I want to read "A choice, not an echo" which was her best-selling book before she got interested in feminism. And it has a forward by Ron Paul!

[Robert II · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skip over the Ann Coultier introduction and you'll be fine.

The scariest thing about this book is that every prediction she made in the late '90's and early 2000's about the dystopian future the Steinems of the world have sought to build, has come alarmingly true. Of course, the number of reviews that blast it without pointing out a single example of what they didn't like (while bragging that they didn't finish it and thinking this adds to, rather than detracts from, the credibility of their review) shines as evidence of that.

I think it would have made more sense to collect these speeches in chronological order rather than topical order as it would have showed the unyielding march of the misandrists who claim to be fighting for "rights" women have already had for decades, but that's just me.

The book hits a lot differently when you've nearly been denied your second M.A. degree because a professor has looked you straight in the eye and said "I refuse to read your thesis because I'm tired of seeing men walk across this stage instead of being back in the coal mines where you belong," and have been subsequently told that you'll be expelled if you don't drop the resulting gender discrimination case against said professor.

[Warren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book interesting, in particular, the points Schlafly makes about equal pay for equal work and women in the military (specifically combat roles). The "Cinderella" story also got me thinking.

While I disagree with much she had to say, Schlafly does make some points that make sense from a certain point of view. Some of the book's contents set off red flags for me. The foreword by Anne Coulter nearly stopped me from even listening to it, use of the term "feminist agenda" made me cringe as anytime people start mentioning agendas I question theirs and where it's coming from, and I'm pretty sure the word "kookery" was in there - never a good sign. Eek.

I do recommend this book because I believe it's important to see different perspectives on a given subject, and many of the incredible women that I know consider themselves feminist. While I'm beginning to question the word itself, and how generalized it can be, the term is here to stay and so I want to learn about.

That said, if anyone has read this and can recommend a book that makes a good rebuttal, please let me know. I'll appreciate an alternate viewpoint.

[Nitya Bhuta · Rating 1 out of 5]

Schlafly is the type of person who criticizes feminism yet reaps the very benefits of it. In her book, she deradicalizes women, where I remember her mentioning that the same movement that let her publish this book makes women unhappy.

She reminds me of Serena Joy(series, not novel) — someone who has had their entire career due to feminism yet claims to be anti-feminist.

How can you go to Harvard and graduate from law school while continuously writing against feminism? Schafly doesn't seem to grasp the idea of feminism in this book or any of her other books. If it weren't for feminism, she wouldn't be able to publish any of her books under her name like the Brontë sisters. Nor would she be entitled to her opinion or be able to become a lawyer and activist. Someone please remind her which group of people fought for her rights to work and earn money?

If you are a woman who resonates with Schlafly's books, just know that without feminism you wouldnt be able to read the book nor could you have an opinion of your own.

[Zey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was...was phyllis schlaffly good?

"If marriage is to be a successful institution, it must...have an ultimate decision maker, and that is the husband" EXCUSE ME??????

Bro i cannot understand like who tf follows ideologies like this yall need therapy if you think the husband or the father should control everything thats going on and will go on in the family's lives.
Or if you think that males are superior WHILE SAYING THAT WOMEN ARE POWERFUL BC THEY ARE LOOKING AFTER THE NEXT GENERATION?? YOU MEAN THE NEXT GENERATION OF MEN I GUESS SINCE YOUR GIRLS WOULD BE TAUGHT HOW TO BE OBEDIENT DAUGHTERS AND WIVES. HOW CAN YOU EVEN SAY THAT MEN ARE SUPERIOR IF YOU SAY THAT WOMEN ARE REALLY SPECIAL SINCE THEY CAN BEAR BABIES WHILE MALES CANT????? BRO I CAN HAVE BABIES AND WORK THAT MAKES ME SUPERIOR TO MEN IF ANYTHING

[Laurie Elliot · Rating 5 out of 5]

After 30-40 years, I finally decided to find out what Phyllis Schafly actually said (as opposed to what everyone said about her.) I wish I had done it sooner!

Her only (free) book available on Audible was this collection of editorials from the 1980s and 90s roughly divided into 5 categories:

I. The Revolution is Over
II. The Media: Mirror or Maker of Trends?
III. Questioning a Woman's Place
IV. A Gender-Neutral Military?
V. Marriage and Motherhood

I suppose she sounds a little bit "in your face" to people who disagree, but I found her lot kinder/politer and definitely more reasonable then the women she was facing off with! She made a lot of sense.

Now I am looking for Carolyn Graglia's "Domestic Tranquility: A Brief Against Feminism."

[Troy D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should be required reading for all girls and women across the world.

Schlafly was the single greatest reason we don’t have homosexual marriage, females in the draft, and abortion- among other horrible ideas, written into the US Constitution by defeating the Equal Rights Amendment.

She was a trailblazer and incredible defender of traditional and conservative values.

Feminism actually benefits men! Odd as that seems, it is meant to destroy the home maker and male/female relationships.

Reject modernism ladies. Your greatest legacy is creating a nurturing and loving home for your husband and children.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

So grateful for Phylis Schlafly’s efforts throughout the years in fighting against feminism in defense of the family. Feminism would have us define women’s rights as abortion, no fault divorce, government subsidies, affirmative action (a quota of women), women in combat, etc. These attempts to thwart the traditional family and not be responsible for our decisions is a mindset that hurts both women and men.
Children should be primarily cared for by their mothers whenever possible. Men have the primary role of providing for their families.
I hope we will never fall prey to thoughts that our time is better spent anywhere other than with our family. ❤️

[Alex]

Excellent, and with enough anecdotes and articles mentioned to lead you to many a rabbit hole. This book is not a single narrative, but a collection of essays from over the years (generally the 1990s). Schlafly rarely deviates from the main theme, however, in any of her works on feminism, so the tapestry works just fine here.