This week, Dublin University Philosophical Society (the Phil) is re-launching the Eliz, a subcommitte which runs events specifically by and for women and non-binary people. The Eliz was founded in 1905 by Isabel Marion Weir Johnson, one of Trinity’s first female students. It originally served as a women-only debating society, granting women access to the world of debating while they were barred from joining any other college debating societies. In 1953, women were finally granted permission to speak at the Phil and by 1967 they could become full members of the society.
The Eliz continued independently until 1981, when it merged with the Phil. Ever since then, in recognition of the Eliz founders’ pioneering work for women’s equality on campus, the highest-ranking female officer of the Phil is the honorary President of the Eliz. This has largely been a symbolic position, with Eliz alumni invited back to the society annually to discuss life in college for women in their time.
Many may think that re-launching a society in the middle of a pandemic is overly-ambitious, but President of the Eliz Kate Maher is confident that her committee is up to the task. “I wanted to run more independent activities for women, to reflect what life is like for us in Trinity in 2020”, said Maher, speaking to The University Times.
Looking to the future while addressing the past is central to the Eliz’s ethos according to Maher. “For decades, many great women have fought to make the Phil a better place and when I arrived to the Phil in 2017, I found a wonderful, diverse and empowering community of people. It is thanks to the sacrifices of those who came before me that this luxury was possible for me and for others.”
“I am very conscious that if I had been born in the wrong decade this would have not been possible, and the society itself would have been actively hostile towards me”, Maher added.
Speaking to The University Times, Isabelle Tierney, a final-year law and business student and member of the new Eliz subcommittee, said that she wanted to get involved because she “knew that the Phil were looking into promoting and increasing the number of racial minorities as well as women who took part in debating and other forms of discourse”.
“There is definitely a lack of women in debating, and I firmly believe, as a result, women shy away from more public-speaking jobs, such as politics”, Tierney continued, emphasising the importance of college debating societies as stepping stones in creating gender equality in other aspects of society. “I think there is an issue with the idea of women ‘arguing’ and sometimes debating can cement the stereotype that women are aggressive, narky etc. which discourages women from taking part.”
“My main hope is simply to get women debating and involved in other aspects of public speaking outside the Eliz”, she said, adding that despite the limitations of this academic year, “technology will provide us with the opportunity to host women-only debates and panels specifically centred around women’s issues”.
The Eliz will launches tomorrow with two events: At 11am, it will host a panel discussion featuring Senator Eileen Flynn, the first Traveller to serve in the Oireachtas and community activist, alongside Ruth Coppinger, feminist activist, former TD and the first woman ever nominated for the role of Taoiseach. Charity bingo in aid of Women’s Aid will take place at 3pm. There are prizes to be won and tickets cost €3.
