Animals, People and the Earth Home Page

Just as there can not be peace without justice,
so there can not be peace without compassion
for every living thing because the human heart
can tolerate neither injustice nor cruelty.
Elizabeth J. Farians

We are sad to report the passing of Elizabeth J Farians on October 21, 2013 at the age of 90.

This website was Elizabeth's work in her later years. It is the families wishes that any material contained here in be considered public domain and may be used to further the causes represented within.

In Memory of Elizabeth Farians (April 10 1923 – October 21, 2013)

EJF Portrate older

The pioneering activism of Elizabeth Farians Ph.D. evolved from civil rights into women’s rights, human rights and animal rights, ultimately embracing respect and compassion for all living beings. Elizabeth Farians was a woman of uncompromising strength and convictions combined with a profound sensitivity and gentleness. She had strength of character, gentleness of soul. She spent a lifetime as a pioneer and leader for women's rights, for changes in the Catholic Church, for human rights, and for the rights of all beings. She had a relentless drive for justice. What distinguished Elizabeth was the breadth of her vision. She saw the connectedness of all the human rights issues: poverty, racism, war, feminism, the animals and the earth. (by Maryann Lederer).

Elizabeth J. Farians, Ph. D. was a visionary who worked tirelessly to promote justice and compassion for the oppressed, ranging from her key role in the early feminist movement to her leadership as an ardent advocate for animal rights. A founding member of the National Organization for Women (NOW), she has been called the “Mother of Ohio Feminism,” in part because she convened the first meeting of NOW in Ohio in 1969. Relentless in fighting against social injustice, Elizabeth was also deeply passionate about protecting animals from abuse, and she became a vegan over 30 years ago. She was a pioneer woman theologian who created a groundbreaking course on Theology and Animals which she taught at Xavier University until 2008.

Her work began with an awareness early in life that girls did not have the same opportunities as boys. A gifted athlete herself, Elizabeth saw sports as an avenue for gender equality. She obtained a master’s degree in education from the University of Cincinnati and began teaching physical education. In the early 1950’s she convinced the Archdiocese of Cincinnati to hire her to create sports teams for girls in the city’s parochial schools, even before girls’ sports were offered in public schools. The first year saw the formation of 24 kickball teams for girls.

Elizabeth was also very interested in Catholicism, but women had been barred from the study of theology. When the first graduate program in theology was opened to women at St. Mary’s College-Notre Dame, Elizabeth enrolled immediately and earned her Ph.D. in 1958. She wanted to teach at the college level but encountered strong sexual discrimination. This ignited her participation in the early feminist movement alongside such famous figures as Betty Friedan and Mary Daly. Elizabeth obtained teaching positions at a handful of universities, only to be fired after it was discovered that she was a feminist. She was outspoken in her criticism of the low status of women in society and the Catholic Church and gained a reputation as a radical feminist. Around 1970 she appeared on the Phil Donahue television show as a theologian discussing women and the priesthood. She also testified before both houses of the U.S. Congress in support of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Elizabeth had joined the Catholic Theological Society, but in 1966 when she arrived at their annual meeting, the otherwise all-male society tried to send her away. She persisted, and when they threatened to call the police she threatened to call the press. Eventually an ally, Fr. Charles Curran, assisted her in gaining entrance. Forty years later, in 2006, the Catholic Theological Society honored Dr. Elizabeth Farians at a national event with an award for courageously breaking the gender barrier in their group.

As it became clear that the feminist movement had taken hold, Elizabeth broadened her involvement in social justice issues. She championed civil rights, the anti-war movement and abolishing the death penalty. In 1998 she received the Reverend Maurice McCrackin Peace and Justice Award, having worked closely with the local peace activist.

An avid gardener and environmentalist, it was Elizabeth’s inseparable bond with nature that attracted her to the cause of animal rights. As she learned more, she became a vegetarian, then vegan. With relentless passion and energy she protested the abuse of animals in all its forms, including factory farms, circuses, rodeos, and animal testing for product development. When Cincinnati introduced the “Big Pig Gig” in 2000, Elizabeth obtained sponsorship from national and local animal rights organizations such as PETA, Farm Sanctuary and Earthsave to finance the purchase of six vegan pigs, three of them painted by her friend, artist Mary Ann Lederer.

In later years Elizabeth promoted the cause of animal rights as a natural extension of theological study. Ms. Lederer captured Elizabeth’s world view in 1998 with the following statement: “What distinguishes Elizabeth Farians is the breadth of her vision. She sees the connectedness of all the human rights issues: poverty, racism, war, feminism, the animals and the earth…(she) is a woman of uncompromising strength and convictions combined with a profound sensitivity and gentleness.”

A fitting and well attended memorial event celebrating her extraordinary life and accomplishments was held on Sunday, November 17 in Cincinnati. Her ashes were buried in Spring Grove Cemetary on a woodsy hillside marked by a small boulder. Memorial donations are requested to Mercy For Animals at www.mercyforanimals.org or mail to 8033 Sunset Blvd. suite 864, Los Angeles, CA 90046.

A two DVD set was produced at the time of her passing that contained an 80 minute life story interview from 2010, a 46 minute video of her teaching her "class review" for her class "Theology and Animals" at Xavier University Dec. 2008, a 38 min video of her accepting a lifetime achievement award at the local Vegan Earth group meeting, a dramatic performance of Miserere Nobis from 2010 and recieving an award from her friends and the animals for her life's work. (some of these videos are online - linked below). If you would like a copy of this DVD set please contact the producer Richard Brown at 513 886-2062 or WFOVideo@aol.com

An audio recording was made of her memorial service and is available here: CLICK HERE AND DOWNLOAD the Mp3 file (37 minutes - 36 MB)

A year before her passing, friends awarded her with a lifetime "Thankyou from the Animals"
Here is a short video of that event.
Click Here

See Elizabeth Speak at the 2009 Animal Rights Conference - CLICK HERE

See Elizabeth Speak at the 2010 World Peace Yoga Conference - CLICK HERE

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This site last updated 7/20/2014
All material contained within this site are copyright 2008-2014 Elizabeth J. Farians Ph.D. unless otherwise noted.

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