Very good article. It's important to realize that feminism is only one segment of the modernistic propaganda machinery run by the elitist Freemasonry. These are the people described in detail in BG 16. Otoh, in our tradition there're are known several female diksa gurus and this has nothing to do with feminism. about the Graglia book: Domestic Tranquility: A Brief Against Feminism by F. Carolyn Graglia The principal targets of feminist fire in the on-going gender wars are not men but traditional wives and mothers, says a lawyer-turned-housewife in a powerful critique of contemporary feminism. With a profound understanding of the quandary of modern women, Carolyn Graglia shows that the cultural assault on marriage, motherhood, and traditional sexuality, rooted in the pursuit of economic and political power, has robbed women of their surest source of fulfillment. Mrs. Graglia traces the origins of modern feminism to the post-war exaltation of marketplace achievement, which bred dissatisfaction with womens domestic roles. In a masterly analysis of seminal feminist texts, she reveals a conscious campaign of ostracism of the housewife as a childish parasite. Turning to the feminist understanding of sexuality, now pervasive in our culture, she shows how it has distorted and impoverished sex by stripping it of its true significance. Finally, after exposing feminisms totalitarian impulse and its contribution to the tangle of pathologies that have left marriage and family life in tatters, she argues for a renewed appreciation of the transforming experience of motherhood and the value of the domestic vocation. Personal Review: Domestic Tranquility: A Brief Against Feminism by F. Carolyn Graglia This book was amazing and it was pretty easy to read. The book has seven chapters, an index, an acknowledgment, bibliography and an introduction which is very very long. The first chapter is how woman became discontented and because of that discontent the feminist movement was bound to happen. She tells us how the "traditional family started" and how different cultures contributed to women no longer valuing the home or the homemaker status. The second Chapter discussed the response the revitalized woman's movement chose -- a further devaluation of the housewife's role to drive women into the market place. In the next chapter the author explains on how feminism de-feminized women to become more like men or lesbians. The forth chapter deals with feminists and them encouraging women into male promiscuity, and explains to us that our fore mothers probably had a better time in the bedroom than feminists lead women to believe. The fifth chapter was probably my favorite which deals with feminism and how the it tries to force or shame housewives into the market place by no-fault divorce laws, or by childish name calling. In chapter six probably the most hard-to-swallow chapter is how feminism impacted society and basically with numerous other accounts destroyed the black community, and made numerous women poor, children being born out-of-wedlock, contributed to falling birth rates, and more. The last chapter discusses how women would probably be more happier raising their children and if they choose to enter the workforce they shouldn't be shamed into it. Women should be free to choose whatever they think suits them and shouldn't be ashamed to do so and society shouldn't just take one side and not get the other side any chance to explain their side of the story. http://www.dandavats.com/?p=9471 an unpublished comment == 03/2019 On FDG issue bh. Jan Lots has been said and written on this (a comprehensive archive is here: http://vdg.iskconinfo.com/) - facts, emotions and facts mixed with emotions. Opposition in the form of a legal threat: https://akincana.net/2019/03/06/legal-notice-to-iskcon-gbc/ GBC resolution from this year: https://akincana.net/2019/03/11/both-meb-and-mac-of-mayapura-pass-resolutions-against-fdg/ summary (video): https://akincana.net/2019/03/30/can-a-female-devotee-become-diksa-guru-a-summary-presentation/ Here're my comments on the main points: "We're not the body so everyone can be a guru." The varnasrama is for those who are in material bodies. There're no female sannyasis in genuine sampradayas. Since guru is close to a sannyasi, independently traveling and preaching to all sexes, while women must be protected for their whole life, FDG doesn't fit in varnasrama. In Vedic tradition women were taken as a category aside the four varnas, as seen from BG (striya vaisya sudra). They had their own dharma different from men, focused on family. They weren't attending gurukula, weren't given upanayana and couldn't recite Vedas, reserved only for dvijas. "The nuptial ceremony is stated to be the Vedic sacrament for women (and to be equal to the initiation), serving the husband (equivalent to) the residence in (the house of the) teacher, and the household duties (the same) as the (daily) worship of the sacred fire." (Manu samhita 2.67, Buehler) In tantric tradition (of which Pancaratra followed by Vaisnavas is one section) women can be also initiated on par with men. This diksa is related to the pancaratrika arcana. Pancaratrika text Bharadvaja samhita allows women to take diksha (1.13-15) while prohibits them from becoming diksa gurus (1.42-43). Saiva tradition also forbids women and sudras to become gurus (Jayadratha Yamala, appendix to Brahma Yamala): zUdrANAm ca tathA strINAM na gurutvaM kadAcana yogyam AdyaM guruM tyaktvA ziSyaH kSudra kriyA vidam guruM samAzrayed anyaM yaH prayAti sa durgatim In Nepal, the accessibility to the tantric initiations are defined by caste and women are given prominence in rituals, playing the active role. This is typical for Sakta tantra where women are also prominent as gurusu. Yogini Tantra excludes one with a loose character, one without mantra vidya and guru bhakti, and a widow: sAdhvI caiva sad-AcArA guru-bhaktA jitendriyA sarva mantrArtha tattva-jJnA suzIlA pUjane ratA guru yogyA bhavetsApi vidhavA parivarjitA There were several FDGs in Gaudiya Vaisnava history like Sita Thakurani (the wife of Advaita Acarya), Jahnava Thakurani (the wife of Nityananda Prabhu, the incarnation of Ananga Manjari as per Gaura ganoddesa dipika 66), Isvari Thakurani and Gauranga-priya devi (the first and second wife and disciples of Srinivasa Acarya), Hemalata Thakurani (the daughter of Srinivasa Acarya), Gangamata Gosvamini (the babajini-turned princess, considered an incarnation of Gangadevi) or Siddheshvari Devi aka Sadhu Ma (considered an incarnation of Yogamaya). Are there such Vaisnavis around in ISKCON? (Other Vaisnava sampradayas don't deal with this issue, which is another hint. Moreover, we can expect a negative reaction from them if FDG becomes a reality.) And isn't the very effort to become a guru disqualifying for guruship, regardless the sex? (See examples of Gaurakisora dasa Babaji repeatedly refusing to accept Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati as a disciple, or of Gosthipurna doing the same to Ramanuja.) There are also some Gaudiya lineages with female diksa gurus (like Nityananda parivara). They are families of hereditary Gosvamis (jati gosai), disciples of the Six Gosvamis, who run the main temples in Vrindavan founded by the Six Gosvamis. Bhaktivinoda Thakura, although himself initiated in Nityananda lineage, later listed jati gosai among the thirteen Gaudiya apasampradayas and stressed more the line of siksa than diksa. The qualification was stressed by Srila Prabhupada in his talk with prof. O'Connell (760618I2.tor): "Prabhupada: Yes. Jahnava devi was—Nityananda's wife. She became. If she is able to go to the highest perfection of life, why it is not possible to become guru? But, not so many. Actually one who has attained the perfection, she can become guru. But man or woman, unless one has attained the perfection... Yei krishna-tattva-vetta sei guru haya [Cc. Madhya 8.128]. The qualification of guru is that he must be fully cognizant of the science of Krishna. Then he or she can become guru. Yei krishna-tattva-vetta, sei guru haya. [break] In our material world, is it any prohibition that woman cannot become professor? If she is qualified, she can become professor. What is the wrong there? She must be qualified. That is the position. So similarly, if the woman understands Krishna consciousness perfectly, she can become guru." "Mahaprabhu said that whoever is qualified can initiate." This well-known verse 'kiba vipra kiba nyasi' verse (CC 2.8.128) Mahaprabhu told to Ramananda Raya. Women aren't mentioned in the verse though. And who should decide who is 'krsna-tattva-vetta'? Will there be a certifying authority? Traditionally the guru wasn't someone going around waving his guru-certificate and hunting for disciples but someone recognized for his accomplishments and approached for diksa. And when the guru agrees to accept a disciple, he initiates as a service to the parampara, accepting their karma and giving them a solid guidance. Therefore to be a guru isn't easy at all and it's definitely not something to boost one's false ego with. And what about yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa (CC 2.7.128)? Upadesa means a teaching, an instruction, i.e. siksa so this refers to vartma pradarsaka and siksa guru which anyone can and should be. "Prabhupada wanted his female disciples to initiate." In the letter often quoted by FDG proponents he wrote: "...Similarly, another examination will be held on Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day in February, 1970 and it will be upon Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. Those passing will get the title of Bhakti-vaibhava. Another examination will be held sometimes in 1971 on the four books, Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and Nectar of Devotion. One who will pass this examination will be awarded with the title of Bhaktivedanta. I want that all of my spiritual sons and daughters will inherit this title of Bhaktivedanta, so that the family transcendental diploma will continue through the generations. Those possessing the title of Bhaktivedanta will be allowed to initiate disciples. Maybe by 1975, all of my disciples will be allowed to initiate and increase the numbers of the generations. That is my program." (SPL Hamsaduta, January 3 (2?), 1969) However, this wasn't followed up. SP didn't choose any women among his 11 initiating representatives in 1977, neither he made any women GBC or even temple presidents, afaik. He was also against independent women asramas (proposed by Yamuna and Dinatarini). And he was a strong opponent to feminism, now spreading in ISKCON. So what all this boils down to? Decide for yourself.