Abigail Adams Society Landing Page

The Abigail Adams Society is an organization where moderate, conservative, and libertarian women can come together to engage in discussions on their views and ideals.  We consciously strive to bring a range of speakers to campus to discuss legal, political, and social issues from a perspective different from that generally provided by modern liberal feminism.  Originally founded in 2001 as the Alliance for Independent Feminists, we have continued to abide by the mission of our Constitution.  You are welcome to read about the founding of our organization in the History section.

With over 60 members, we are proud to boast a number of speaking events each year.  In 2007, Susanna Dokupil, the assistant solicitor general for office of the Attorney General of Texas, presented a presentation entitled The Breeding Omnipresence: A Tale of Work-Family Blending.   In 2008, the Abigail Adams Society hosted a panel discussion on the candidacy of Sarah Palin for Vice President, the impact of her candidacy on the political landscape, and what implications her selection might have for female candidates with views diverging from mainstream feminism.  The panel consisted of Laura Flippin, former Special Assistant to the President at the White House; Phyllis Woods, a prior four-term New Hampshire State Representative, and Jean Inman, the chair of John McCain's Massachusetts Campaign.  In 2009, the Society will host a presentation on the jurisprudential legacy of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor by Allyson Ho, a current partner at Morgan Lewis and former special assistant to President George W. Bush.  Our keynote speaker for the year will be Judge Jennifer Elrod, a federal judge for the Fifth Circuit and HLS alumn, and the event will be co-sponsored with the Harvard Federalist Society.  In past years, we have also hosted lively debates on topics such as  as "Is There a Glass Ceiling?" between Diana Furchtgott-Roth, Chief of Staff, White House Council of Economic Advisers, and former HLS Prof. Christine Jolls and"Innate Gender Differences: Do They Matter in Academia?" between Christina Hoff Sommers of the American Enterprise Institute and HLS Prof. Elizabeth Bartholet."

The Abigail Adams Society also hosts a number of social events each year, ranging from informal Thai food and movie nights at members' houses to our Valentine's Day Party co-sponsored with the Federalist Society.  True to our namesake, we also host events dedicated to learning more about the women of the Founding generation, such as an anticipated trip to the Adams National Historical Park, home to four generations of the Adams family.