Council Abstains from Support of Shareholder Resolution on Portrayal of Women in Advertising
Diocesan Press Service. September 23, 1975 [75326]
GREENWICH, Conn. -- After lengthy debate, the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church, meeting here Sept. 16-18, defeated a resolution which would have authorized its Committee on Social Responsibility in Investments to support a United Presbyterian Church-sponsored shareholder resolution calling for the Proctor and Gamble Company "to publish a special report which will carefully examine the images of women in the corporation's advertising. " The resolution was introduced by Dr. Paul M. Neuhauser of Iowa City, Iowa, chairman of the Social Responsibility Committee.
In taking this action the Council expressed its support for a statement from the Task Force on Community Issues of the Diocese of Southern Ohio, which urged the convening of a special conference between representatives of Proctor and Gamble and the Episcopal and United Presbyterian Churches, to avoid bringing the matter up at a shareholders' meeting.
The Southern Ohio statement, read by Marcus A. Cummings, Council member from Cincinnati, mentioned the "long and varied history of cooperation and generous help and support from the Proctor and Gamble Company, its officers and many of its employees" as one of the "most cherished traditions" of the Episcopal Church in Cincinnati. Proctor and Gamble's main offices and plants are located in Cincinnati.
In the many-sided debate before the vote, Dupuy Bateman of Pittsburgh found the Social Responsibility Committee's proposal "startling." In a prepared statement read in his absence, Mr. Bateman said, "This attack seems to have been motivated by some group that considers the role of housewife a degrading one. In my opinion, most of our church membership -- I'd guess the vast majority -- consider the housewife's role an honorable one." He strongly urged the Council not to join the United Presbyterians in this "grievous error. "
The Rev. Rustin R. Kimsey of The Dalles, Ore., said that he did not see the resolution aiming at the role of housewife, but at what he considered the characterization of "dumb housewives on television." Father Kimsey said that he was not directing his remarks exclusively at Proctor and Gamble, but that in terms of education, especially of American children, the Council had a "very strong right to be lifting some lids" on the question of the portrayal of women in the media. He added that he was "torn" by what he considered to be the Council's "responsibility" to the Diocese of Southern Ohio, and was not sure whether he would vote at all.
The Rev. Canon Gerald N. McAllister of San Antonio, Tex., said that the issue under discussion was far deeper than the portrayal of women in advertising. He called the resolution "a ludicrous example" of the fact that the time had come for the Council to confront the far broader issue of the impact of the media, and particularly of television, on American life. Canon McAllister cited television violence as another example of harmful media impact. He also supported the Southern Ohio statement and voiced the hope that the matter could be settled through conversation "in a Christian fashion . . . before resorting to legal remedies. I prefer to do that, and I think all of us would." Mrs. John S. Jackson of Lake Oswego, Ore., said that she was "sick to death . . . of you men speaking for us women." She called the debate "very silly" and said that "there are better times and better places" to discuss the broader issue raised by Canon McAllister.
Mrs. Seaton Bailey of Griffin, Ga., last to speak before the vote was taken, urged adoption of the resolution of support for the United Presbyterians and reminded the Council of its positive voting record on similar issues in the past. She added, "I keep hearing little tiny clues that male chauvinism is present in this room, and I think we'd better be careful about how we vote."
The resolution was defeated 14-10.
The Council did, however, adopt an amended resolution, submitted by Philip A. Masquelette of Houston, Tex., which called for abstention from support of or opposition to the United Presbyterians' resolution.