Margaret Downey

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Margaret Downey
Born16 August 1950 (1950-08-16) (age 73)
US
OrganizationThe Freethought Society

Margaret Downey (born August 16, 1950) is a nontheist activist who is a former President of Atheist Alliance International and founder and president of the Freethought Society (formerly Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia).[1][2] She also founded the Anti-Discrimination Support Network, which reports and helps deal with discrimination against atheists.[3][4]

Early life

Downey grew up with a

Puerto Rican mother and an Irish father.[1] When her father left, she adopted a family friend "Uncle Floyd" as a father-figure who encouraged Downey into atheism.[1]

Activism

Downey has been active in a variety of causes including feminism and anti-smoking campaigns before becoming a public representative of atheism.[1]

Margaret Downey is known for her activities in this area. Her first major involvement as a publicly active nontheist was when her son Matthew was not allowed to renew his membership in the Boy Scouts of America since he was raised in a nontheist household.

United States Supreme Court's 2000 decision in Boy Scouts of America v. Dale that the Boy Scouts constituted a private organization and could thus choose their own membership criteria, thus preventing Downey from taking her case further.[1][5][6][7] Since then Downey has been a prominent public representative of atheism in the United States as well as representing atheists and other non-theists at United Nations conferences.[1][4][8] Her work has been incorporated into United Nations reports on religious discrimination.[9]

Downey is also affiliated with a variety of other organizations that promote atheism and the separation of church and state such as Freedom From Religion Foundation of which she is a board member and the American Humanist Association of which she is a past board member.[4] In 2003 she was one of the signers of the Humanist Manifesto.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Steven Wells (2007-11-19). "Taking the Christ out of Christmas". Philadelphia Weekly. Archived from the original on 2013-01-31. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
  2. ^ Walter F. Naedele (2008-01-27). "Following own way, and mind". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on 2008-01-30. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
  3. ^ "Anti-Discrimination Support Network". Freethought Society of Greater Philadelphia. Archived from the original on 2007-12-21. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
  4. ^ a b c "Secular Celebrations Presents Margaret Downey". Secular Celebration. Archived from the original on 2008-01-26. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
  5. ^ a b Margaret Downey (November 1999). "Challenging the discriminatory practices of the Boy Scouts of America". The Humanist. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
  6. ^ "Secular Parenting in a Religious World: An Interview with Margaret Downey". Margaret Downey.com. 2007-11-19. Retrieved 2007-02-08.
  7. ^ "Supreme Court says Boy Scouts can bar gay troop leaders". CNN. 2000-06-28. Archived from the original on 2008-01-26. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
  8. ^ Matt Purple. "Atheists Assail Bill Recognizing America's Religious History". Crosswalk.com. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
  9. ^ Margaret Downey. "Discrimination Against Atheists:The Facts". Free Inquiry Magazine. 24 (4). Archived from the original on 2008-02-08. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
  10. ^ "Notable Signers". Humanism and Its Aspirations. American Humanist Association. Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2012.

External links

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