Mary Daly

2008-02-06T13:10:21Z

138.23.246.0: /* Career */ OOD tag

{{Infobox Philosopher
| region = Western philosophy
| era = [[20th-century philosophy|20th]] century philosophy
| color = #B0C4DE
| image_name =
| image_size = 200px
| image_caption =
| name = Mary Daly
| birth = 1928
| death =
| school_tradition = [[Feminist philosophy]]
| main_interests = [[Feminist theology]], [[ontology]], [[metaphysics]]
| notable_ideas =
| influences = [[Paul Tillich]], [[Martin Buber]]
| influenced =
| signature =
}}'''Mary Daly''' (born [[October 16]], [[1928]] in [[Schenectady]], [[New York]]) is a [[radical feminism|radical feminist]] [[philosophy|philosopher]] and [[theology|theologian]]. She taught at [[Boston College]], a [[Jesuit]]-run institution, for 33 years. Daly was forcibly retired from Boston College in 1999, after violating university policy.

==Education==

Before obtaining her three doctorates in [[Doctor of Sacred Theology|sacred theology]] and [[philosophy]] from the [[University of Fribourg]], [[Switzerland]], she received her [[B.A.]] in [[English language|English]] from [[The College of Saint Rose]], her M.A. in English from [[The Catholic University of America]], and a doctorate in religion from [[Saint Mary's College (Indiana)|St. Mary's College]].

==Career==

Daly taught classes at Boston College from 1967 to 1999, including courses in theology, [[feminist ethics]], and [[patriarchy]].

Daly was first threatened with dismissal when, following the publication of her first book, ''The Church and the Second Sex'' (1968), she was issued a terminal contract. As a result of support from the (then all-male) student body and the general public, however, Daly was ultimately granted tenure.

Daly's refusal to admit male students to some of her classes at Boston College also resulted in disciplinary action. While Daly justified her position on the grounds that their presence inhibited class discussion, Boston College consistently reprimanded Daly, claiming that her actions were in violation of [[title IX]] of federal law requiring the College to ensure that no person was excluded from an education program on the basis of sex, and of the University's own non-discrimination policy insisting that all courses be open to both male and female students.

In 1998, a [[discrimination]] claim against the college by two male students was backed by the [[Center for Individual Rights]], a conservative advocacy group. Following further reprimand, Daly absented herself from classes rather than admit the male students.<ref>[http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/rvp/pubaf/chronicle/v7/mr4/daly.html Daly's Absence Prompts Cancellations]</ref> Boston college removed her [[tenure]] rights, citing a verbal agreement by Daly to retire. She brought suit against the College disputing violation of her tenure rights and claiming she was forced out against her will, but her request for [[injunction]] was denied by Middlesex Superior Court, Judge Martha Sosman.<ref>[http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/rvp/pubaf/chronicle/v7/my28/daly.html Judge Denies Daly's Bid for Injunction]</ref>

An [[out-of-court settlement]] was reached in which Daly agreed that she had retired from her faculty position.<ref>[http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/rvp/pubaf/chronicle/v9/f15/daly.html Mary Daly Ends Suit, Agrees to Retire]</ref> However, Daly maintains that Boston College had wronged her students by depriving her of her right to teach freely.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,315338,00.html Unholy row as feminist lecturer bars men | The Guardian | Guardian Unlimited]</ref> She documented her account of the events in the 2006 book ''Amazon Grace''.

Daly recently protested the commencement speech of [[Condoleezza Rice]] at Boston College and continues to speak on campuses around the United States as well as internationally.

==Works==

Daly has published a number of works, and is perhaps best known for her second book, ''Beyond God the Father'' (1973). Often regarded as a foundational work in feminist theology, ''Beyond God the Father'' is her attempt to explain and overcome the [[androcentrism]] she perceived in [[Western religion]]. It is notable for its playful writing style, and its attempt to rehabilitate "God-talk" for the women's liberation movement by critically building on the writing of existentialist theologians like [[Paul Tillich]] and [[Martin Buber]]. While the former would increasingly characterize her writing, she soon abandoned the latter. Well-known later works include ''Gyn/ecology: The Metaethics of Radical Feminism'' (1978), ''Pure Lust: Elemental Feminist Philosophy'' (1984), and ''Quintessence'' (1998).

Daly is considered by many to be an inspirational feminist and [[biophilia hypothesis|biophilic]] philosopher, and her work continues to influence feminism and [[feminist theology]]. She is an [[Ethics of eating meat|ethical vegetarian]] and [[animal rights]] activist. ''Gyn/Ecology'', ''Pure Lust'', and ''Webster's First New Intergalactic Wickedary'' all endorse anti-[[Animal testing|vivisection]] and anti-[[Fur clothing|fur]] positions. Daly is an advisory board member of Feminists For Animal Rights.

==Controversy and criticism==

In "Gyn/Ecology" she popularized the idea that the number of 'witches' killed during the [[Witch Hunt]] in early modern Europe added up to nine million people, mostly women. This incredibly high figure (which has since been disproven) allowed her to coin the term "Gynocide" and to draw comparisons with the [[Holocaust]]. The number was based on the writings of the 19th century feminist [[Matilda Joslyn Gage]], and has no basis in research. (Estimates based on research range mainly from 60-100,000.<ref>Brian Levack, ''The Witch Hunt in Early Modern Europe'' (New York, Longman, 1987) gives the figure of 60,000. Anne Lewellyn Barstow, ''Witchcraze'' (San Francisco: Harper, 1994) gives 100,000. Other works on the Witch Hunt vary, but between 60-100,000 is the usual range.</ref>) Some [[neo-pagan]]s and feminists continue to embrace Daly's account.<ref> see http://shekhinah.net/SeasonalInvocations.htm for an example of just one neo-pagan website that continues to use the figure popularised by Daly. There are many others.</ref>

Also in "Gyn/Ecology," Daly asserted her negative view of transsexual people, which she referred to as Frankensteinian. Daly was also the dissertation advisor to [[Janice Raymond]], whose dissertation was published in 1979 as The Transsexual Empire, a controversial work critical of "[[transsexualism]]." Transsexual activist [[Riki Wilchins]] has accused Daly of being [[Transphobia|transphobic]].

In a personal letter to Daly published after four months without reply, [[Audre Lorde]] admitted a fondness for her work but expressed concern over ''Gyn/Ecology'', citing homogenizing tendencies and a refusal to acknowledge the "herstory and myth" of non-white women. <ref>Lorde, Audre. ''An Open Letter to Mary Daly'', page 66-71. Crossing Press: Berkeley. 1984</ref> The letter, and Daly's decision not to publicly respond, greatly impacted the reception of Daly's work among other feminist theorists, and is seen as a "paradigmatic example of challenges to white feminist theory by feminists of color in the 1980s." <ref>Katherine, Amber L. "'A Too Early Morning': Audre Lorde's 'An Open Letter to Mary Daly' and Daly's Decision Not to Respond in Kind," ''Feminist Interpretations of Mary Daly'', page 267. University of Pennsylvania State Press: University Park, PA. 2000</ref>

Daly advocates research into [[parthenogenesis]], the growth and development of an [[embryo]] or seed without fertilization by a male; She quotes Anne Dellenbaugh's theory "nothing less than the process of a woman creating her Self."<ref>Daly, Mary. ''Pure Lust: Elemental Feminist Philosophy'', page 114. Beacon Press: Boston. 1984</ref> Daly uses parthenogenesis to discuss the Christian doctrine of the Virgin Birth. Some interpret this as a search for the means of creating a male-free paradise, and in general consider her a [[misandry|misandrist]] who practices reverse discrimination and perpetuates sexism.<ref>{{cite journal|
title=Those Uncaring Conservatives|
author= Richard John Neuhaus |journal=First Things|date=December, 2006|
url = http://www.firstthings.com/article.php3?id_article=5392&var_recherche=Miles+Douglas}}</ref>

== Notes ==

<references/>

== Bibliography ==
*''Amazon Grace: Re-Calling the Courage to Sin Big''. [[Palgrave Macmillan]], 2006. ISBN 1-4039-6853-5
*''Quintessence: Realizing the Archaic Future. A Radical Elemental Feminist Manifesto''. [[Beacon Press]], 1998.
*''Websters' First New Intergalactic Wickedary of the English Language''. (with [[Jane Caputi]] and [[Sudie Rakusin]]) [[HarperCollins|Harper]], 1994.
*''Outercourse: The Bedazzling Voyage Containing Recollections from My Logbook of a Radical Feminist Philosopher''. Harper, 1992.
*''Pure Lust: Elemental Feminist Philosophy''. Harper, 1992.
*''Gyn/ecology: The Metaethics of Radical Feminism''. Beacon Press. 1990 ISBN 0-8070-1413-3
*''The Church and the Second Sex''. Harper & Row, 1968. Reprint: Beacon Press, 1985.
*''Beyond God the Father: Toward a Philosophy of Women's Liberation''. Beacon Press, 1973.
*''Natural Knowledge of God in the Philosophy of Jacques Maritain''. [[Officium Libri Catholici]], 1966.

==External links==
*[http://www.marydaly.net Mary Daly's Official Website]
*[http://www.glbtq.com/social-sciences/daly_m.html Mary Daly on the GLBTQ encyclopedia].
*http://www.cddc.vt.edu/feminism/Daly.html
*http://cat.nyu.edu/wickedary/dalyinfo.html
*http://www.uua.org/ga/ga01/3032.html . Audio presentation on Daly's reading of her latest work, [[Amazon Grace: A 21st century Radical Feminist Adventure]],cited as of May 5, 2006.
*[http://www.archive.org/details/KDVS_The_Fringe_4-5-06 Interview with Mary Daly on KDVS, April 5 2006]

{{Persondata
|NAME=Daly, Mary
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION=Feminist theologian
|DATE OF BIRTH=[[October 16]], [[1928]]
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Schenectady]], [[New York]], [[United States]]
|DATE OF DEATH=living
|PLACE OF DEATH=
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Daly, Mary}}
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Feminist scholars]]
[[Category:LGBT people from the United States]]
[[Category:Gender studies academics]]
[[Category:The Catholic University of America alumni]]
[[Category:Theologians]]

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Mary Daly