Betty Friedan called her "Aunt Tom" and a traitor to her sex.
News outlets said she was an anti-feminist.
Phyllis Schlafly, my mom, has been called many things.
The latest, which I assume is a sarcastic one, is "Mrs. America."
That happens to be the title of a nine-part Hulu/Netflix series that presumably shows her movement to block the Equal Rights Amendment from passing in the 1970s.
While I wasn’t able to preview the "Mrs. America," series, which stars Cate Blanchett as my mother, it's clear that there are many facts about her which have been omitted.
In truth, my mother was a true grassroots organizer.
She never lived in Washington, D.C. She never worked for the government.
The most remarkable aspect of her skills was that she was a devout Roman Catholic who recited the Rosary — daily.
Yet she led a group of volunteer women of different faiths, including evangelical Christians and Latter Day Saints.
Phyllis put them together in one organization, the Eagle Forum to amplify their common values.
Far from being a traitor to her sex, Phyllis Schlafly was a leader, a motivator, and an elevator of women. The attraction to Phyllis’s style was that she was bottom-up, not top-down in her management.
Many of her ardent supporters got involved because Phyllis called them up asking them to take on responsibilities. Her power was in delegating and thus duplicating her ideas to many women. She did not believe that leaders were born, but made, and that anyone could learn how to be a leader.
She constantly worked to make women from all walks of life — leaders.
Phyllis considered it a success when her "Eagles" would start new organizations.
In fact, there are many women today who have personally told me that they are doing their work because Phyllis Schlafly encouraged them.
I personally was encouraged by her.
I do my best to use her leadership style to continue her legacy of raising up others.
Even though she lived in the small town of Alton, Illinois, most are surprised to learn that Phyllis was highly educated.
She earned three degrees, including one from Harvard.
But, Phyllis was always approachable to the other women in her organization and never talked-down to anyone. Everyone called her by her first name.
She sold her ideas in a plain, clear language anyone could understand.
That was part of Phyllis Schlafly's magic.
Like my mother, I think it's ridiculous to suggest that women — half of the global population — would ever be monolithic in their beliefs.
Some women are liberal, some are conservative and many women are on both sides of the abortion issue. Even when attacked for her beliefs by Betty Friedan, and others, my mother never played the victim.
She actually enjoyed debating Betty Friedan.
Phyllis Schlafly was a product of her choices, not a victim of her circumstances.
She had idealism and she wrote voluminously.
She had no desire to be in an ivory tower, and loved being in the fray.
I think what Phyllis objected to most about the feminist ideology was the idea that women’s own self-fulfillment should be their greatest goal.
Phyllis always believed in something larger than herself.
She was a woman of faith, and believed that marriage is about compromise and a successful marriage is worth making many sacrifices. Some of the biggest sacrifices she made where for me and my five siblings throughout our lives.
What I loved most about my mother was that she was both tough and tender.
She demanded excellence but she was always encouraging — and supportive.
The truth remains that my mother used just her phone and the postal service to lead a national movement of women defeating the agenda of three presidents, the Republican and Democratic parties, the vast majority of elected officials, and Hollywood stars.
I hope more women, no matter their cause, will take up Phyllis’s mantle of activism and enduring tenacity. That, along with her family, is her true legacy.
Anne Schlafly Cori is Chairman of the Eagle Forum which was founded by her mother Phyllis Schlafly. The Hulu/FX series, "Mrs. America" launches tomorrow —April 15.