Eleanor Smeal - interview with the president of the Fund for the Feminist Majority - Interview

Progressive, The, Nov, 1995 by Barbara Koeppel

Q: It's hard to see a difference between Republicans and Democrats these days. So why emphasize the distinction?

Smeal: You're right. The traditional party labels make less and less sense. But Democrats are still different on some issues, like abortions, child immunizations, funding electricity for the elderly, and against the B-2 bomber. There is still room for a Paul Wellstone, a Barbara Boxer, and a Ted Kennedy in the Democratic Party, where you just wouldn't find them among the Republicans. Although I have to say there are always contradictions, since the Republicans can have a Christine Todd Whitman, who is better on some of these issues than a Sam Nunn. She's not Paul Wellstone, but it's relative.

In fact, we need a new party, one that's truly progressive. But where we are now, when we don't have such a party, if a Boxer is running, she will need a surplus of women's votes.

Q: What about the drug, RU-486, the French abortion pill that might be legalized soon? What effect will this have?

Smeal: It will be extremely important, because it will reframe the debate. With this drug, it's hard to fool a woman into thinking she's killing a child, since when a woman aborts this way, it's at the embryonic or even pre-embryonic stage. All a woman sees is that she's bleeding.

Just as important, it will allow abortions to come earlier. Now, women have to wait until the sixth or eighth week, because the suction method works best then, when the uterus is firmer. But under the new regimen, a woman will be able to take a home-pregnancy test, and if she is pregnant, she will be able to use RU-486 immediately. Also, the pill will make abortions much more accessible, because many areas in the country don't have doctors willing to perform them. And, it will be much cheaper.

Q: What can we expect of the women's movement now? Where's it headed?

Smeal: The women's movement is growing, despite what is said. From our polls, women want different things, and empowering them will lead to change. Feminist ideas have permeated, especially among women, who do vote differently. And having power would help create a society that is more interested in human concerns.

Barbara Koeppel is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C.