LEWISTON – Conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly will speak at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Bates College on “Feminism vs. Conservatism: The Great Debate.”

The lecture, to be held in Chase Hall, is free and open to the public.

The appearance is sponsored by the Bates College Republicans, said Jonathan Browher, first vice president of the group.

“With her expertise on women’s issues, the Bates community will have the opportunity to hear some novel ideas and insightful thoughts about the state of the feminist movement today,” Browher said.

He said Schlafly’s talk would focus on failures of feminism and the importance of the traditional family unit. “Her lecture will challenge the perpetuated myth that the promotion of women’s rights is incompatible with the conservative movement.”

Schlafly is president of the Eagle Forum, a national volunteer policy making organization with 80,000 members and chapters in every state. Her syndicated column appears in 100 newspapers, her radio commentaries are heard daily on 460 stations, and her radio talk show, “Phyllis Schlafly Live,” is heard weekly on 40 stations. Schlafly is also an author, having written on topics that range from feminism to nuclear strategy.