S01.E06: Jill

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

With a pro-ERA Republican in the White House, Phyllis Schlafly protests her own party, which puts her in conflict with Republican feminist leader, Jill Ruckelshaus.

Original air date: 5/6/20

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Promo:

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Although Shirley didn't get much screentime this week, she still won this episode for fighting so hard about the secretaries being sexually harassed and assaulted.

My favorite moment was Jill's husband acting so proud of what he'd said about not controlling his wife and Jill telling him that she wished he had told them that she wasn't outspoken and that she spoke just as much as a man.

Edited May 7, 2020 by ElectricBoogaloo
typos

[rollacoaster]

Enjoying this series very much!

Glad to see Jill to represent the face of feminist Republican party. Great to know it was ever so slightly diverse. 

Watching Phyllis' group form that unholy alliance with the religious zealots was chilling. We can definitely see the toxic fruit of it today. 

[tennisgurl]

I've been waiting for them to play You Dont Own Me for this whole series!

I really like Jill, she brought a different perspective to the ERA women, being a feminist republican and the conflicts that arose from basically working with everyone. She underestimated how much of an asshole Phyllis was when she tried to speak to her republican to republican but she got a sick burn in at the end, and you can tell that Phyllis was thinking about it at the end. They'll be looking up your skirt indeed. 

[bmoore4026]

There she is.  There's the Phyllis Schlafly everyone loathes and hates.  The one who didn't just get in bed with The Devil but built the frame, stuffed the mattress, and put on the sheets.  The one who created the Eagle Forum and spearheaded the formation of The Religious Right.  Because of these actions, the Republican Party went from "The Party of Labor" to "The Party of GodReagan".  And that bit in the confessional made me want to reach into the TV and smash her teeth in.  Yes, it's not good to hit women, but Phyllis Schlafly should be an exception.  Let's see her try to make that weird ass smile she makes when things don't go her way after that!

I did like the reaction she had to that woman's "burn at the stake" comment.  It shows how great an actress Cate Blanchett is.

Never heard of Jill Ruckelshaus.  I would like to know more about Jill Ruckelshaus.

Bella Abzug threw an ashtray at her secretary?!  I would have quit on the spot.  Fuck the chocolates.  And her reaction to those secretaries not being heard was callous.  I'm going to be controversial here but why are the feminists movement leaders so highly regarded when we see them as being hypocritical, spiteful, inept, shallow, not as smart as they think they are, prejudiced, and flat out abusive.  I would not put these women on pedestals.  At least we know Schlafly is supposed to be the Villain Protagonist of the story, but the "good guys" aren't that good.

 

Edited May 7, 2020 by bmoore4026

[BrownBear2012]

Every week I am more in love with this show! Mostly I enjoy the back story to all the women who were the leaders and soldiers in the movement. This week's episode was amazing...I remember Jill and didn't appreciate at the time her tenacity and bravery as an elected  Republican and women's rights advocate. Loving Bella more and more...politically savvy and grounded. I am dreading the ending of this series...I want more!!!!

[ahpny]

Though it might be historically accurate that Phyllis Schlafly enlisted, or attempted to enlist, particular rabbis to her cause (as depicted in this episode), she trafficked in the same coded antisemitic tropes as many in the far right, then and now. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/29/books/review/she-changed-america.html?auth=login-email

But the focus on Jill was a strange trip back in time, as if exploring a now extinct species so far removed from our current experience that we can hardly believe they ever existed at all.

[ruby24]

4 hours ago, ahpny said:

Though it might be historically accurate that Phyllis Schlafly enlisted, or attempted to enlist, particular rabbis to her cause (as depicted in this episode), she trafficked in the same coded antisemitic tropes as many in the far right, then and now. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/29/books/review/she-changed-america.html?auth=login-email

But the focus on Jill was a strange trip back in time, as if exploring a now extinct species so far removed from our current experience that we can hardly believe they ever existed at all.

Yeah, really. I looked it up but couldn't find whether Jill eventually left the Republican party.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Phyllis & Jill

 

[Zima]

Oh wow, so that's how the Republican party changed so drastically! It's so crazy to me that pandering to the Pro-"life" crowd was all it took. Such an interesting (and devastating)  piece of history to watch play out. 

Edited May 11, 2020 by Zima
accidentally typed pro "choice".

[Penman61]

Quote

[David Attenborough narrates]

We are fortunate--or, some might say, unfortunate--that we have actual footage of a species going extinct.

That species, Republicanus choiceratus, while never plentiful, was nevertheless thriving and visible, though its numbers had begun to dwindle throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. But one summer afternoon the last member was disposed of, through a unique and still little understood process.

In this never-before-seen footage, American housewife and fecund mother Phyllis Schlafly slaughters a large buck with Lottie Beth Hobbs, A Woman Who Wants to be a Woman. The precise biological mechanism is not understood, but somehow Schlafly's killing of the deer--here we see as she pumps another shot into the suffering animal--was also the exact moment when the American GOP no longer would ever tolerate or accept a pro-choice candidate. Zoological and political scientists hypothesize that perhaps the pink mist of buck blood has telekinetic properties, or that its wafting into the political atmosphere had this surprisingly potent effect.

Whatever the mechanism, it was resoundingly thorough: the pro-choice Republican had become, effectively, extinct. 

 

 

Edited May 9, 2020 by Penman61

[Roseanna]

On 5/7/2020 at 5:31 AM, bmoore4026 said:

I'm going to be controversial here but why are the feminists movement leaders so highly regarded when we see them as being hypocritical, spiteful, inept, shallow, not as smart as they think they are, prejudiced, and flat out abusive.  I would not put these women on pedestals. 

Why should there be a need to put somebody on pedelstals? If one looks deep enough, nobody is a paragon but all have flaws. But that does in no way lessen their cause and accomplishments, on the contrary.

[Marley]

Phyllis Schlafly is disgusting. I honestly hate her. Her family thinks they are being too hard on her on the show I think they are being too fucking easy on her. She ruined everything.

Its hard for me to watch this show.

[BrownBear2012]

On 5/7/2020 at 9:16 PM, ahpny said:

Though it might be historically accurate that Phyllis Schlafly enlisted, or attempted to enlist, particular rabbis to her cause (as depicted in this episode), she trafficked in the same coded antisemitic tropes as many in the far right, then and now. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/29/books/review/she-changed-america.html?auth=login-email

But the focus on Jill was a strange trip back in time, as if exploring a now extinct species so far removed from our current experience that we can hardly believe they ever existed at all.

Right??? I had forgotten about the moderate Republican women who supported the ERA, reproductive rights and equal pay. Seems like a century ago.

[SlovakPrincess]

On 5/6/2020 at 8:33 AM, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Although Shirley didn't get much screentime this week, she still won this episode for fighting so hard about the secretaries being sexually harassed and assaulted.

My favorite moment was Jill's husband acting so proud of what he'd said about not controlling his wife and Jill telling him that she wished he had told them that she wasn't outspoken and that she spoke just as much as a man.

Yes!   Some of the little moments in this episode -- Shirley's look of devastation having to listen to Helms in that prayer breakfast, and exchanging looks with the sad assistant, and Jill pointing out to her husband he hadn't actually stuck up for her -- were really good.

Phyllis managed to get under even calm Jill's skin.  I did love her line to Phyllis about how Phyllis really just wanted to climb on the shoulders of the men and to "just know they're looking up your skirt."   Elizabeth Banks killed that line delivery.  

Poor John Schlafly.  I hope he eventually moved away and got some distance from his parents! 

 

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

What’s Fact and What’s Fiction in Mrs. America Episode 6