EAGLE LADY

Phyllis Schlafly Dead at 92

Widely considered “first lady of the conservative movement.”

Conservative stalwart Phyllis Schlafly has died at the age of 92, her organization Eagle Forum confirmed Monday evening. The controversial activist came to fame in the mid-20th century with her public crusade against feminism and the Equal Rights Amendment. A self-described “housewife,” Schlafly said she believed the ERA, which sought to prohibit any gender-based distinctions in federal or state law, would destroy “traditional” societal roles for women. Because of Schlafly and a grassroots effort among mostly religious-conservative women, the ERA officially died in the early ’80s. Because of her continued anti-feminist work, she was often dubbed the “first lady of the conservative movement,” while prominent feminists like Betty Friedan called her an “Uncle Tom” to her gender. In recent years, Schlafly rallied conservatives against illegal immigration and same-sex marriage, while endorsing Donald Trump for president earlier this year.