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Loading ...Daly, feminist theology prof, lesbian separatist dies
01.06.2010 5:06pm EST
(Boston)Feminist theologian and author Mary Daly, who retired from a professorship at Boston College rather than allow men to take her classes, has died.
College spokesman Jack Dunn confirmed Wednesday that Daly died Sunday at a Massachusetts nursing home. She was 81. He says she had been ill for some time.According to the GLBTQ encyclopedia of the social sciences:
“An outspoken lesbian-feminist and separatist, Daly provoked outrage by challenging established ideas and institutions that she considered destructive to women’s power and creativity.
“From organized religion to the university world she calls “academentia,” to men themselves, Daly dissected the “death-loving” culture of patriarchy and its effects on the minds and hearts of women. However, her brilliant body of work was far more than a litany of complaints. It was a joyously iconoclastic search for liberation, and an exploration of a hypothetical women-centered landscape where patriarchal domination has lost its power.
Daly came out publicly as a lesbian in the early 1970s. Always a holistic thinker, she never regarded her lesbianism as merely a sexual identity. It became part of her redefinition of the universe in terms of the feminine.”
Daly had a stormy 33-year tenure at the Jesuit university.
She challenged the patriarchy of the Roman Catholic church in her writings. She said she barred men from her class because women did not freely exchange ideas with them present, though she did privately tutor men.
In 1999, the university ordered her to accept a male student who threatened to sue. She took a leave of absence and filed a lawsuit. It was settled in 2001 with her retirement.
Says the GLBTQ encyclopedia:
“In 1999, two male students attended Daly’s class with the express purpose of challenging her “exclusionary” policy. One of the students was backed by a right wing think tank called the Center for Individual Rights (CIR), and neither student had the proper prerequisites for the class. Even though Daly continued to offer separate classes for men truly interested in her subject, Boston College officials demanded she open her classes.
Instead, Daly took a leave of absence. The college responded by attempting to force Daly to retire. A flurry of litigation followed, with CIR threatening to sue the college for discrimination, and Daly suing B. C. for breach of tenure. A settlement was reached in 2001, with Daly receiving an undisclosed amount of money.”
With AP reports
The only settlement this sexist man hating sow should have received is a swift kick in the ass.
Could you imagine if ANY man tried to pull this $hit?
Mens only clubs and classes have been sued into allowing women, but womens groups continue to be allowed to discriminate against us.
All I can say is good riddance you filthy pig.
You’re an embarrassment not only to gay people but to every woman who has fought for equality.
Women like her don’t want equal they want superior.
I’m so sorry you’re that bitter that you were born without a penis but that’s your problem.
Go see a shrink.
Oh yeah, you’re dead.
Like I said, good riddance.
Cow.
“I’m so sorry you’re that bitter that you were born without a penis but that’s your problem.”
There is a sane response. Grow up please. Or at least be decent and leave your sexist crap at the door.
You have issues.
James
Once again GLBT news sources are quite disappointing in their failure to remember they include trans people. Regardless of her accomplishments, not even brushing on her transphobia seems inexcusable.
Mary Daly called trans women ‘Frankensteinian’ in her writings among other things. That and her being the dissertation advisor for Janice Raymond’s The Transsexual Empire makes her somewhat of a godmother to the transphobia in the rad fem community.
“Even though Daly continued to offer separate classes for men truly interested in her subject, Boston College officials demanded she open her classes.”
Did I read that right? “Even though” ??
If 365gay apparently thinks segregation is OK for the sexes, then does 365gay also think marriage should be for straights only, provided gays get civil unions?
I don’t get the point this woman getting remembered in this way from what I can tell she is just another hypocritical sexist bitch who should only be remembered as an example of how not to live ones life.
“…just another hypocritical sexist bitch…”
And you are just another sexist idiot.
James
Hateful comments about the late Prof. Daly don’t help anything. I disagree with her ideas but she deserves some basic respect no matter what you think of her views.
Regarding women-only classes, perhaps the same aim could be achieved (women being free to speak and think) via a code of conduct, rather than excluding males altogether. Some protocol for speaking in class might serve the same purpose, if designed to ensure that every student can participate equally regardless of gender, race, class, etc.
James are you on crack because I didn’t attack her because she was a woman I attacked her for being sexist and the requirement to be a sexist is to attack or discriminate against someone solely or partially because of their gender which is what she did not what I did. Further more sexism is just as wrong as racism, homophobia and so forth so I suggest you go learn that.
I understand the concept of separatism, but how do you ever prove yourself it you live in a bubble? This is deep, it’s very individual. Daly’s separatist thing was a part of the past. I understand it because my mum was a feminist–yet my mum and her fellow travelers didn’t necessarily think of feminism as including women who weren’t interested in men.
From what I see here, Ms/Prof/Dr Daly had a lot to say. I think it’s narrow that she would’ve excluded men from sharing in her knowledge, but she also came from a different time.
The issue is gray. The knowledge is documented. The perspective is dated. Whether or not it was her primary posthumous choice, Daly’s legacy should be opened to men. She was NOT a weak woman, and if her feminist scholarship can withstand Jesuit scrutiny, then you know there’s something there. I guess I need to go to the library now and take out some books.
Nathan,
You are delusional. You called Daly “another hypocritical sexist bitch.” Now if you don’t think that is sexist you don’t really know what the word means. You could have easily been critical of her minus the word “bitch”, but you didn’t.
James
Ok. So no only should no male be allowed to comment on this article, I’m sad to say the 365news wire left much to the imagination. If a gay rights leader passed would they use a simple canned piece like this for him? I don’t think so. I’ve read many heart felt tributes to the passing of someone who was clearly smarter than most of the readers here, this was not one of them. It’s not shocking to see the misogyny buffet here, mostly homo males seem to come to 365gay. It’s ok to say homo right? Or should i say “fag” since one of my female sisters was called a bitch here. I wasn’t aware that so many teenagers read this site! Congrats.
Anyone who does not advocate for the needs of women in general (rather than just cisgendered women) is not a feminist.
Calling Daly a feminist is like calling Anita Bryant a gay ally. I’m sure Daly honestly thought she was a feminist, but then again I’m sure Anita Bryant honestly thought she was protecting the children too.
Leeanne, you are right that this article left much to the imagination. I found this interview more informative, in understanding Daly’s point of view:
http://www.enlightennext.org/magazine/j16/daly.asp?page=1
She starts from the premise that womens’ lives have value and mens’ lives do not. Logically, that leads to belief that ‘decontaminating’ the human species of males is morally just. How can this be anything other than sexism?
James, I’d love to know how I’m sexist.
I didn’t use the “B” word. I did call her a cow which in the past even our women readers said is fair game.
Please tell me you’re not another one of these men that have let people like Daly convince you that as a male you have zero worth.
And thank you SO much mattinmich for posting the link to that article. Daly flat out says the planet needs to be decontaminated with less of the male species.
I’m sorry but this borders on genocidal thinking.
NOT what I would call a great mind.
Not only that but during her trial she admitted she NEVER extended to one male in 30 years an invite to privatly tutor them.
I can’t belive 365 would even praise such a twisted individual.
Equal is equal and I have nothing but the deepest respect for people who fight for equality, not for people like Daly who wanted men wiped right off the planet.
May she rest in peace and her hateful,divisive line of thinking rest with her.
That’s all I have to add to this one.
So Leeanne….you feel so offended by the word bitch, and decide to lash out at all gay men with the use of “fag”…But let me thow out some form of derrogatory comment about a lesbian or female and it’s all over. Right?
How dare you feed into hateful name calling on a GAY website. I don’t care what someone called some man-hating witch. She was exactly that. She wasnt a leader of anyone rights. Stating that males needed to be wiped out, in my eyes, makes her a prodigy of Hitler.
I’m guessing you are a lesbian, right? So you’d get offended if I threw out the Bull-dyke card, right? Now does back and forth name calling make anything work better? Didn’t think so.
Why is it that members of the SAME oppressed community attack eachother with hateful words deemed to describe us by people who would rather see us dead? I just don’t get it.
In regards to Ms. Daly, personally, I’m not sad the world is down one less hateful person. Why in the world 365Gay would even bother with this is beyond me, clearly she didn’t “approve” of everyone in this community. Who the hell knows what she thought of the gays. Im offended this hateful woman ended up even getting coverage on this site.
Whatever, I’ve lived my life not even knowing this witch existed…you bet your ass I’ll continue living just fine knowing shes gone for good.
The world is a better place without trash like Ms. Daly.