Eve Was Framed

Throughout history, women who push against socially-accepted norms have been persecuted. It’s true from earliest alleged offender (Eve was framed), to current headlines (Hillary’s pantsuits, anyone?). It seems that when two X chromosomes get together and try to move things ahead, the village gets irate. An especially tumultuous time for women occurred when the church presented the book Malleus Maleficarum (translation: the witches’ hammer) during the Catholic Inquisition. Ladies who felt drawn towards any branch of science — from botany to midwifery — or who presented themselves as exceptional, were deemed possible witches. The hunts continued for three centuries; unthinkable numbers of murders and other atrocities were carried out against those free thinking women and their supportive male counterparts.

Today you can learn all about religion’s entanglement with the fairer sex, from biblical text to current day. This evening’s lecture, “The Dangers of Free Thinking Women,” will be led by Toni Van Pelt, the former president of the Florida National Organization for Women and current director of the Center for Inquiry’s Office of Public Policy. Van Pelt will give new insights into how we got to where we are today, and, more importantly, how to move forward (sans getting burned at a stake). Meet other progressive folk at this interesting, free, and culturally-rich lecture (it’s a trifecta!). It’s happening at the Jim Ward Community Center (301 NW 46 Ave., Plantation). Light refreshments will be served at 6:30, with the lecture beginning at 7 p.m. Visit centerforinquiry.net/fll, or call 954-344-4355.
Fri., Oct. 10, 2008