Mrs. America: Jill

May 13, 2020 3:22 PM - Season 1, Episode 6

Jill Ruckelshaus advances women's causes in the Ford administration. Her experience with the boys' club of politics helps her achieve goals, but it's often at a cost. She has a tête-à-tête with Phyllis, who drafts thousands more Christian women to the anti-liberation group.

Part and parcel of Phyllis’ coldness towards the sexually harassed secretaries is how she similarly blames her pregnant colleague’s problems with her temperamental, emotionally abusive husband on the woman not having learned “how to control him.”

AV Club recap

For all the victories the ERA supporters have experienced, it still feels like there’s no place for them in Congress, on a presidential ticket, or anywhere else in the leadership of this country. Jill may be right when she tells Phyllis Schlafly that “there are more of us than there are of you.” But she’s dead wrong when she says that the Reagan revolution will fail. Thanks to Phyllis and Lottie Beth and other women who, as Alice puts it, “want roses not rights,” that revolution, over the long term, will experience more success than Jill, the socially progressive Republican, can imagine.

Favorite “Fuck Yeah, Feminism” Moment in This Episode: I enjoyed the response Hays got from Jill, Bella, and Shirley when he said, with a clear note of condescension: “So you won’t be happy until you make 100 percent of what the men make?” The immediate, in-unison reply from all three: “Yes.”

Vulture recap

posted by Monochrome (1 comment total)

It is absolutely so bizarre to compare the Republican Party of Jill Ruckelshaus's time to the Republican Party of now. One forgets that there was a time when it wasn't completely controlled by batshit social conservatives.
posted by Anonymous at 5:22 PM on June 17, 2020