Feminist says bias all around

When nationally known activist Eleanor Smeal spoke in Logan Hall last Wednesday night, the mission may have been to educate, but the challenge she posed was one of the heart. Smeal, president and co-founder of the Feminist Majority Foundation, has, in her over 26 years as an activist for women's and human rights, worked tirelessly for causes that include the Equal Rights Amendment, the first National Abortion Rights March in Washington, D.C., and the rally to end Proposition 209 in California, a bill to effectively end affirmative action. In her talk, she urged the 40 audience members, most of whom were students, to take a similar stance and support what they believe is right. "I can't imagine anyone who in their wildest imagination would think that at the turn of the 20th century, we would still be fighting for basic human rights for women and girls," Smeal said in reference to the widespread oppression of females in Afghanistan. A graduate of Duke University, Smeal has made several television appearances on news shows such as Today and Good Morning America. She began her lecture by discussing gender apartheid in the Middle East and the efforts she and other feminists have made to alert Congress to this issue. The crux of her argument, however, lay within the economic implications of the many battles which, according to her, most people unwittingly ignore. "It's the same with every issue I have worked on," she said. "You tell me what they're discriminating about and I'll tell you about the dollar. Discriminatory policies wouldn't persist if it wasn't so cost efficient." Smeal pointed out that institutions like Penn should stress using money to make a positive impact. "The Wharton School should not just be for students that want to make a lot of money -- it should be for people who want to change the world," Smeal said. Referring to the recent wave of rapes in Center City and other safety issues at Penn -- such as the efficiency of blue-light phones and the alarms in the women's bathroom -- Smeal warned students not to think that gender discrimination is non-existent here on campus. "It's quite ironic having a women's center on the main quad where a frat house used to be -- that's a step up," she said. "But don't take for granted any victory, including the fact that you have a women's center on campus. It can disappear over night; it has at other schools." Following Smeal's speech, students and several members of Penn's local chapter of Feminist Majority had an opportunity to converse with Smeal and reflect on many of her arguments. "What she said caused outrage within myself," College and Engineering junior Alfie Hanssen said. "The outlook of many people here, even some of my friends, regarding how money is spent, priorities, commitments, beliefs is ridiculous. I think this campus has one of the laziest populations." Smeal summed up her words of advice to future leaders in the Penn community: "If this world is going to be the one we dream of in the 21st century, we desperately need more talent in the social change department. We need you."