Whenever I mentioned to anyone that I was planning to
interview Phyllis Chesler, they immediately recognized her as one
of the most respected feminists, a pioneer of the second wave of
the women's movement. But I set out with some trepidation to meet
her at her Upper East Side apartment. I confess that when it
comes to feminists, I've always been completely uninterested in
anything feminists had to say. The fight for women's rights was
initially waged on a bitter anti-male battleground that held
little interest to me as a young woman. Protesters eschewed
serious issues and instead railed at the use of words such as
"broad," "honey," and "sweetie,"
which were anathema to liberated females. This was as silly as
the notion that I should burn my bra.
But I needn't have worried about holding my disdain in check,
because Ms. Chesler is that rarity- a rational, charming feminist
with a sense of humor - and we bonded instantly. The fact that
her latest book is titled "The Death of Feminism" may
have helped considerably in breaking down my defenses. That and
her beautiful apartment. I have a real weakness for custom-built,
ceiling-high bookcases, and her apartment evoked the warmth and
ambience I've always coveted in well-appointed libraries.
Ms. Chesler is an emerita professor of psychology and women's
studies, a psychotherapist who has lectured and organized various
human rights campaigns here and abroad. Although women's groups
have long heralded her as a founding feminist for her classic
book, "Women and Madness," the bloom has apparently
been off the rose since she admitted she voted for President
Bush. Yes, Ms. Chesler has done the unimaginable. Her book calls
for a new feminism, one that requires independent - not group -
thought, and a single standard of human rights for men and women
everywhere on earth. What a concept.
In her book, Ms. Chesler exposes the realities of Islamic gender
apartheid and tells what happens to real women in the Islamic
world who struggle for freedom every day. These women are ignored
by the old school of politically correct, leftist feminists. Ms.
Chesler herself was, years ago, a young bride who escaped
captivity in Kabul, Afghanistan - a harrowing experience she
describes in her book. What we both found amazing are recent
reports that French women increasingly are converting to Islam.
The idea of women from a nation obsessed with style and culture
voluntarily opting for a life under Shariah seems far-fetched,
but as with all things French, "c'est inexplicable."
I discovered another sign that Ms. Chesler has become a tainted
feminist when I researched her books after my interview. The New
York Times, which had reviewed her works routinely in the past,
has not yet reviewed "The Death of Feminism" three
months after publication. Nor did it review her previous book,
"The New Anti-Semitism," published in 2003, which
charges that Western intellectuals and misguided academics who
refuse to recognize the sovereignty of Israel are embracing
anti-Semitism. More hard-hitting truth that is not "fit to
print" in the fading gray lady of the press.
In the past, Ms. Chesler has appeared on "The Today
Show," "Oprah," CNN, NPR, "Nightline,"
and "Good Morning America," but one suspects her future
appearances will be restricted to Fox News and "The O'Reilly
Factor." In an article in the Village Voice last month, Ms.
Chesler told a reporter that WBAI had dedicated an hour to
vilifying her, calling her the Christopher Hitchens of the
feminist movement. Clearly, many who regard her vote for Mr. Bush
as unforgivable consider Ms. Chesler a traitor.
But when I asked her about that, she said, "What good is it
if we achieve all our social goals only to have been bombed back
to the sixth century?" Have I mentioned before that I found
Ms. Chesler both rational and charming? Those qualities are in
short supply among the women who are so incensed by my new best
friend that they raise a hue and cry over her every speaking
appearance. I've long held that feminists lost all credibility
when they gave President Clinton a pass by dismissing the claims
of women accusing him of sexual assaults. Caring little for women
who threaten their social agenda, those feminists deserve to be
called hypocrites.
But I would be just as guilty if I didn't acknowledge the wisdom
and sincerity of a radical feminist like Phyllis Chesler, a brave
woman who deserves to be heard by all.