Document 50B: Eleanor Smeal, speech excerpt and Betty Friedan, excerpt from conference remarks made from the floor, Fourth Plenary: Plank 23 Sexual Preference, 1977, National Women's Conference, International Women's Year National Women's Conference, November 18-21, 1977, Houston, Texas, Plenary sessions and Distinguished Women in Government lecture series, Hayward, Calif.: Tape Services Unlimited, 1978, Fourth Plenary: Plank 23 Sexual Preference, Audio tape, vol. 4, no. 6, side A.

Eleanor Smeal. From The Spirit of Houston: The First National Women's Conference, p. 249.

Introduction

   The sexual preference resolution produced one of the most controversial debates at the NWC. Opponents of the resolution included Winnie Mathews of Oklahoma who stated, "We would never advocate a stoning or a burning at the stake or throwing stones at a homosexual as long as homosexuals keep their sexual preference private, the same as adulterers and adulteresses." Dorris Holmes and Catherine East both spoke against including the sexual preference plank in the National plan because they believed it was not "a unique women's problem."

   Betty Friedan former head of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and Eleanor Smeal current head of NOW both spoke for the sexual preference plank.[69] Betty Friedan, well known for her bestselling feminist critique in her 1963 book, The Feminine Mystique, was expected to speak against the sexual preference resolution. Like many NOW members, Friedan spoke out against lesbianism calling it the "lavender menace" at a 1970 women's conference.[70] When the resolution passed it was accompanied by cheers, applause, calls for order, whoops and singing. However, after the vote, opponents of the plank, led by Joan Gubbins, "turned their backs to the podium and bent their heads as if in prayer." (For a description of the debate see Document 19.)

PLANK 23

SEXUAL PREFERENCE DEBATE

Speaker in favor, current president of NOW; [tape = 83] Eleanor Smeal

   "I rise as president of the largest and strongest feminist organization in the world. I rise as a woman who has spent the last 14 years of her life as a homemaker and as a mother of two. I rise be because I know that this is a profound feminist issue. This is a feminist issue because discrimination against woman begins at the basis of sexuality. There are double standards; one standard for males, another for females: one standard for heterosexuals, another for homosexuals. And all these double standards in the issue of sexuality work to keep women in their place. This profound human issue is not only one of human rights, but is one of feminism. We must be free. We must be free to develop all of our potential. And we must not oppress any part of our society or of womanhood. Human rights are indivisible, and all women, when we march together, in equality, we will march as heterosexuals and homosexuals, minority women and majority women, rich and poor, we will all go together, as full human beings."

   Charlotte Bunch, delegate from D.C. [= 170]

   This issue is brought to you by grassroots conferences, brought by 30 states End the threat of using lesbian as a label on any women to keep women in place.

   [= 235]  Chair struggled to present pro and con views; only pro speakers presented themselves to speak; chair comments that press wants to cover both sides, so she is trying to find con speakers, calls for them, only two hold up "green cards". Oklahoma delegate, Utah delegate disqualified, Florida delegate. All

   [= 329]  "I am Betty Friedan, delegate at large. (cheers, calls for order, for delegates to take their seats.) I am known to be (order) violently opposed to the lesbian issue in the woman's movement, and in fact I have been. This issue has been used to divide us too much. (order) It has been seized on by the enemies of women's equality and it has alienated many. As someone who has grown up in middle America – as someone who grew up in Peoria, Illinois, and as someone who has perhaps loved men too well (laughter)(order) – I have had trouble with this issue, as have many other women who grew up as I have. We have all made mistakes in our focus on this issue, but we have all learned. Now my passionate priority is ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment or we will lose all we have fought for in the last 15 years. (order) And because I know, as you know, that despite what our right-wing reactionary enemies say, there is nothing whatsoever in the Equal Rights Amendment that will give any protection to homosexuals, I believe that we must help the women who are lesbians be protected in their own civil rights." (thunderous applause and cheers, whoops, calls for order) And in the historic unity of this day, and because we will need every ounce of all our efforts in the next 13 months to get the Equal Rights Amendment ratified, I suggest that you waste no further time in debating this issue and join with me in voting support of the resolution on sexual preference. (cheers, applause) Thank you," (order) [ends at 384]

   "We will now proceed to a vote on the issue" [= 395]

   All those in favor please rise, (wild cheers, applause, order) opposed, stand, nothing audible "The resolution has clearly carried, it is adopted," (extended cheers, applause; numerous calls for order, rhythmic applause, whoops, singing, [continues to 475].

   

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