Flutterby™! : A woman's place

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A woman's place

2003-01-28 17:52:35+00 by Dan Lyke 2 comments

A couple notes on women's roles and places in society this morning. First, Tastes Like Chicken had a link to an ABC News story on the "Magdalene laundries", operations run by the Sisters of the Magdalene Order of Catholic Nuns in Ireland that took girls thought to be unfit to live in Irish society, took away their names and gave them numbers, and put to work.

Sadie Williams, 64, spent a total of four years in two different convent laundries. She was 14 when she was virtually kidnapped by two women who had determined that she was "in moral danger." Williams liked to take a walk in the evenings, after working all day at a bed and breakfast in Dublin. She said the women considered her much too attractive to stay out of trouble.

She was only 14 when she ended up in a convent laundry outside town as "Number 100," and locked into a cell each night. She says she almost never saw daylight.

Meanwhile, over at Burning Bird, Shell has some thoughts on Phyllis Schlafly's newest book, Feminist Fantasies.

Finally, on the other note, at Utopia with Cheese, Todd has a short euology for Virginia Heinlein. I'd quote from it, but that'd get the whole thing, so just go read it.

[ related topics: Religion Books Sexual Culture Ethics Sociology ]

comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):

#Comment made: 2003-01-28 19:43:30+00 by: Dan Lyke

Over at Genehack, John points to the LA Times obituary of Virginia Heinlein, and Jerry Pournelle's letters page.

#Comment made: 2003-01-28 22:33:05+00 by: meuon

Forgive me. for I once regularly attended the same church as Phyllis Schlafly, College Avenue Presbyterian, Alton Illinois. in the late 70's early 80's. She was odd then also.