Historical Context America 1980s

The New-Right (2nd wave) The New Right was a coalition of conservative interests which sought to influence government legislation on family issues and public morals. Politically powerful under Reagan and Bush administrations. Often linked with The Religious Right & the literal interpretation and absolute inerrancy of the Scriptures Christian values cornerstone of good governance Anti-feminist, anti-homosexuality, anti-

Right-Wing left-wing = the radical, reforming, or socialist section of a political party or system right-wing = the conservative or reactionary section of a political party or system. Originated in the National Assembly in France (1789-91), where the nobles sat to the President’s right and the commons to the left.

Women as prime-enemy Susan Faludi, journalist, feminist and winner of the Pultizer Prize once noted that feminists were a “prime enemy” for the New Right that emerged in the USA in the 1980s. Faludi's 1991 book Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women argued that the 1980s saw a backlash against feminism especially due to the spread of negative stereotypes against career-minded women.

Phyllis Schafly Phyllis Schafly travelled the country making speeches mobilising women to support right-wing policies on gender and family issues. Influenced the non-ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in 1982 Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article. Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWyv5Fw0JSk (3.00) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z36SkdYdfN0&feature=related

Howard Phillips The New Right at Harvard edited by Howard Phillips published in 1983 on family, abortion, pornography and homosexuality. Influence location of Gilead? Howard Phillips argued that feminists schemed for “the conscious policy of government to liberate the wife from the leadership of the husband”.

Morality In Brutal Choreographies J Brooks Bouson noted that Jerry Falwell (Baptist TV evalangalist) accused feminists of executing a ‘satanic attack on the home’ and similarly In speaking of the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling, Falwell said, in 1958: "If Chief Justice Warren and his associates had known God's word and had desired to do the Lord's will, I am quite confident that the 1954 decision would never had been made. The facilities should be separate. When God has drawn a line of distinction, we should not attempt to cross that line.“ Speaking of the Teletubbies said, "I really find it absurd and kind of offensive.“ The immensely popular UK show was aimed at pre-school children, but the article stated "he is purple – the gay pride color; and his antenna is shaped like a triangle – the gay-pride symbol." Apart from those characteristics Tinky Winky also carries a magic bag which the NLJ and Salon articles said was a purse. Falwell added "role modelling the gay lifestyle is damaging to the moral lives of children.“ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_8dSnKiaD4&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK_hYsCkDH4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz5T1EEo8ws&feature=related

The story behind the story Atwood having dinner with an old friend about “various things as we usually do, including some of the more absolutist pronouncements of right-wing religious fundamentalism… No one thinks about what it would be like to actually act it out” 1984 writing According to Carol Ann Howells, Atwood’s prep files for THT contained: pamphlets from Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, atrocities from Latin America, Iran, Philippines, together with items of information on new reproductive technologies, surrogate motherhood, and forms of institutionalized birth control from NAZI Germany to Ceausescu’s Romania, ‘the clippings folder contain[ed] a lot of material on The New Right with its warnings about the “Birth dearth”, its anti-feminism, its anti-homosexuality, its racism, and its strong underpinings in the Bible Belt. Work to pinpoint her obsessions: the environment, intolerance, fascism and reproductive rights. And strives to present a fictive future which bears an uncomfortable resemblance to our present society”