Letters to the Editor
Feminism and Equal Rights

To the Editor:

A forum recently held at NYU (Nov. 2 issue) tried to discern why, among other things, "feminism" and "feminist" had taken on a negative connotation. Always eager to lend a helping hand, I hereby offer my thoughts on this topic.

No reasonable person in this day and age would argue that women, or any group for that matter, should not be afforded equal opportunity to become whatever they want, whether that is a housewife, police officer, doctor or even President. The "backlash," as Randi Weingarten called it, occurs because opportunities that are more than equal are often demanded and granted.

My mother was a truly strong woman (unlike a certain presidential candidate) who told me when I first displayed an interest in politics and the world around me that, "The last thing any group wants is equal treatment. They want special treatment." She has been proven right more times than I can count.

In my experience I have seen this observation of my mother's most vividly revealed in the actions of some women (as well as some members of minority groups) who want to be hired as firefighters. There are many examples that have been cited from the past when women (and other groups) have attempted to water down FDNY entrance standards, and in fact these efforts are still with us to this day. I won't go into them again (at least not in this letter) only because I want to keep focus on the recent forum.

I am compelled to comment on one Sunsara Taylor, who opined that we don't need fewer abortions in this country. She called for greater access to abortion providers, which I interpreted as favoring more abortions.

This statement, coupled with the mission of the forum, which was to empower pro-choice women to become actively involved in civic life and run for public office, brings to light a topic that "feminists" are myopic about - abortion. Does Ms. Taylor truly want more babies killed? Has the Women's Campaign Forum posted a sign, "Pro-Lifers Need Not Apply"? Do they realize that not all women are in favor of abortion rights?

There is another truly strong woman I am related to - my sister Delia - who is ardently pro-life and actively works to change the hearts and minds of those who favor abortion. She is also a retired NYPD Lieutenant and was one of the very first female supervisors in the elite Emergency Service Unit, but apparently would not rate an invitation to the Women's Campaign Forum.

In closing, here is my advice on changing "feminist" back into a term of pride:

- Mean what you say when you claim you want to be considered an equal. Don't advocate for physical standards to be eviscerated because you can't meet them, and don't cry sexism because the FDNY is overwhelmingly male. Major League Baseball and the NFLare entirely male because, on average, women cannot compete physically with men, and this is the reason for the gender makeup of the FDNY; not sexism.

- Be more tolerant and inclusive of those who are pro-life. Strive for diversity of opinion and move away from being so doctrinaire.

- Don't claim to be as strong in personality as any man and then cry sexism or whine that you are being picked on if the going gets rough. Hillary Clinton had been successful doing this in the past, but this tactic is presently blowing up in her face. Let hers be a cautionary tale.

- Avoid engaging in generalities such as Ms. Weingarten's statement that, "We could actually get more done if there were more women in public life." People, even politicians, are individuals, and both genders have their fair share of good and bad.

Hope this helps.

PAUL D. MANNIX, Deputy Chief, FDNY