Mary Daly Controversial Feminist Thealogian

Mary Daly, raised in a Catholic home and sent to Catholic schools throughout her childhood, pursued philosophy and then theology in college. When Catholic University would not permit her, as a woman, to study theology for a doctorate, she found a small womens college that did offer a Ph.D. in theology. After working for a few years as an instructor at Cardinal Cushing College, Daly went to Switzerland to study theology there, and get another Ph.D. While pursuing her degrees at the University of Fribourg, she taught in the Junior Year Abroad program for American students. Returning to the United States, Mary Daly was hired as an assistant professor of theology by Boston College. Controversy followed publication of her 1968 book, The Church and the Second Sex: Towards a Philosophy of Womens Liberation, and the college tried to fire Mary Daly but was forced to re-hire her when presented a student petition signed by 2,500. Mary Daly was promoted to associate professor of theology in 1969, a tenured position. As her books moved her further and further outside the circle of Catholicism and Christianity, the college denied Daly promotions to full professor in 1974 and again in 1989. Policy of Refusing to Admit Men to Classes The college objected to Dalys policy of refusing to admit men to her feminist ethics classes, though she offered to teach men individually and privately. She received five warnings about this practice from the college. In 1999, a suit on behalf of senior Duane Naquin, backed by the Center for Individual Rights, led to her dismissal. Naquin  had not taken the prerequisite womens studies course tried to register, and was told by Daly that he could take the course with her individually. This student was supported by the Center for Individual Rights, an organization that opposes Title IX, and one tactic used is to file lawsuits applying Title IX to male students. In 1999, facing this lawsuit, Boston College terminated Mary Dalys contract as a tenured professor. She and her supporters filed a lawsuit and requested an injunction against the firing, on the grounds that due process had not been followed. In February 2001, Boston College and Mary Dalys supporters announced that Daly had  settled out of court with Boston College,  thus taking the case out of the hands of the court and judge. She did not return to teaching, officially ending her professorship there in 2001. Mary Daly published her account of this fight in her 2006 book, Amazing Grace: Re-calling the Courage to Sin Big.   Transsexual Issues Mary Dalys take on transsexualism in her 1978 book  Gyn/Ecology  is frequently quoted by radical feminists who do not support including male-to-female transsexuals as women: Transsexualism is an example of male surgical siring which invades the female world with substitutes. Fast Facts Known for: Increasingly strong critique of patriarchy in religion and society; dispute with Boston College over the admission of men to her classes on feminist ethicsOccupation: Feminist theologian, theologian, philosopher, post-Christian, radical feminist Pirate (her description)Religion: Roman Catholic, post-Christian, radical feministDates: October 16, 1928 - January 3, 2010 Family Father: Frank X. DalyMother: Anna Catherine Daly Education Catholic schools through high schoolSt. Rose, B.A., 1950Catholic University, M.A., 1942St. Marys College, Notre Dame, Indiana, Ph.D., theology, 1954University of Fribourg, S.T.D., 1963; Ph.D. 1965 Career 1952-54: St. Marys College, visiting lecturer, English1954-59: Cardinal Cushing College, Brookline, MA, instructor in philosophy and theology1959-66: Fribourg University, Junior Year Abroad program for American students, teacher of philosophy and theology1966-1969: Boston College, assistant professor1969-2001: Boston College, associate professor of theology Books 1966: Natural Knowledge of God in the Philosophy of Jacques Maritan1968: The Church and the Second Sex: Toward a Philosophy of Womens Liberation1973: Beyond God the Father1975: Rape Culture, a screenplay with Emily Culpeper1978: Gyn/Ecology: The Metaethics of Radical Feminism1984: Pure Lust: Elemental Philosophy1987: Websters First New Intergalactic Wickedary of the English Language with Jane Caputi1992: Outercourse: The Be-Dazzling Voyage: Containing Recollections from My Logbook as a Radical Feminist Philosopher1998: Quintessence: Realizing the Outrageous, Contagious Courage of Women2006: Amazing Grace: Re-calling the Courage to Sin Big