Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
The so-called “family friendly” clothing company, Land’s End, has just launched a year-long campaign honoring pro-abortion feminist Gloria Steinem by donating proceeds from the sale of certain items of clothing to one of her organizations.
The Stream is reporting on the brewing controversy which began when Land’s End sent out its Spring Catalog which included a lengthy interview with Steinem. Families were not happy to see the profile of such a controversial figure in the same catalog that features Easter egg hunts and bright spring fashions.
“This profile on Gloria Steinem — conducted by Lands’ End CEO Federica Marchionni, no less — is revolting,” Media Research Center reporter Katie Yoder told The Stream. “A feminist who adores abortion and hates religion doesn’t deserve one inch in a catalog that also celebrates Easter and family.”
What is infuriating many customers is that Land’s End is not just featuring a story about Steinem, but is offering to donate $3 to Steinem’s Fund for Women’s Equality, Inc. for every buyer who orders an ERA Coalition logo monogram on one of its items. The campaign runs until January 31, 2017.
Marchionni, who has only been CEO of the retailer for a little more than a year, has said that one of her goals is to change the direction of the company, which has been losing money since it was purchased by Sears for $1.5 billion in 2002. Now worth $779 million, perhaps Marchionni chose Steinem as the subject of a feature article because she wants to move away from the “family-friendly” image the company has long enjoyed.
This could certainly be implied by giving such glowing coverage to Steinem, a feminist icon who has been known to brag about how little remorse she felt after her own abortion.
Gloria Steinem
“It [abortion] is supposed to make us a bad person,” Steinem once said. “But I must say, I never felt that. I used to sit and try and figure out how old the child would be, trying to make myself feel guilty. But I never could!”
Steinem also told PBS that opposing Planned Parenthood is related to racism and “patriarchy.
She also blamed the pope for global warming by “forcing” women to have children.
These are not exactly family-friendly positions.
As for the ERA, which failed to be passed after a decade-long battle that ended in 1982, it’s supposed to amend the constitution to prohibit gender discrimination and make equality a fundamental American value.
“It’s a statement of principle. It just says that men and women have equal rights, and that equality under the law shall not be denied,” Steinem said. “From 1972 to 1982, we tried to get the Equal Rights Amendment into the Constitution, but we fell short by three states of getting it ratified. So now, there is a new national effort to remedy this situation in which discrimination against women is not mentioned in the Constitution. The Equal Rights Amendment would be good for men as well as women, and equality is a fundamental American value.”
It sounds good, until you read the fine print. As National Right to Life Legislative Director Douglas Johnson told LifeNews.com, the sweeping language of the 1972 ERA could be used as a legal weapon against virtually every law regulating abortion. This is because it would invalidate the federal Hyde Amendment and all state restrictions prohibiting tax-funded abortions, including laws banning partial-birth or third-trimester abortions.
Let Land’s End know how you feel about the company’s “new direction” by registering your complaint here or calling 1-800-963-4816.
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