I was not much of a feminist until I read God, The Father by Mary Daly. Even during the reading I felt my perception of reality being scrubbed clean. Once I saw, really saw, the patriarchal bent to all aspects of Christianity ( and all religions, I came later to understand) my life changed. Suddenly. Irrevocably.
"She was a controversial figure, penning incredible works on feminism and religion and refusing to allow male students into her class; she also fell out of favor with many feminists (myself included) who read and enjoyed her early works but were appalled when we discovered her transphobia in later writings, and when we learned that she refused to publicly engage the criticisms of women of color, including Audre Lorde’s generous Open Letter.
Mary Daly’s life, in a lot of ways, is a microcosm of the public face of late 20th century second-wave feminism — a woman-centered radical movement that had (refreshingly, for some) little place for men, but that later found itself tripping over its narrowly-imposed definition of “woman.” She was a foremother, but one who eventually revealed herself unprepared (or unwilling) to embrace all of her children — especially the ones who failed to look or think like her. Her writings on religion were powerful and original and her thoughts and academic contributions certainly shaped the face of feminism today (in good ways and bad), but her particular brand of feminism has been, for good reason, rejected by many women, myself included. May her family and loved ones be at peace, and may the rest of us learn from her good works and leave her bad ones to dust."
"Among the first American women to train as a Roman Catholic theologian, Professor Daly challenged orthodoxies from the start. She came to wide attention in 1968 with the publication of “The Church and the Second Sex” (Harper & Row), in which she argued that the Catholic Church had systematically oppressed women for centuries."
"Women of the world unite! Stand up and fight! Say our own names! Go up in flames!" - Mary Daly, September 2006Then at FairerScience I found many links to obits and comments:
"Good by Mary Daly and thank you
Heaven knows that I didn't always agree with Mary Daly (ok sorry about the - what- pun? choice of words? whatever?) but when she was in the world, she always made us question our assumptions and challenge our beliefs. It may be an easier but not a better world, with her passing."
Sarah Thomas, one of five women who officiate major college football, became the first woman to official a bowl game when she worked the Little Caesars Bowl on Saturday.
Thomas became the first woman to be an official for a major college football game in 2007 and is on the NFL's list of officiating prospects. The married mother of two young sons is from Brandon, Miss., and is a pharmaceutical representative.
"She did a good job," Marshall coach Rick Minter said. "I didn't know she was the first woman to work a bowl game, so what an honor to say I was on the same sideline as she was. And, it's kind of neat that Pam Ward was doing this game on TV for ESPN."
Terri Valenti is believed to be the first woman to officiate a professional game. She was the head linesman earlier this year in a United Football League game.
