When Groundhog Day becomes controversial
Groundhog Day levity has arrived just in time — but not everyone thinks so.
Every Feb. 2, Phil the Groundhog emerges from his burrow at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa. If he sees his shadow, winter will last six more weeks; if not, spring is just around the corner.
This quirky ritual was brought to Punxsutawney in 1887 by Pennsylvania Dutch immigrants of German descent. Its roots trace to European weather lore on Candlemas Day, a Christian feast celebrated Feb. 2. In German-speaking regions, a proverb held that sunny skies on Candlemas meant more winter, while cloudy skies signaled an early spring.
Over time, this tradition merged with the idea of a hibernating animal — a badger in Europe, a groundhog in America — emerging from its den. Thus began a grand spectacle.
Every year, members of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club don tuxedos and top hats, recite mock prognostications and perform choreographed rituals before roughly 50,000 spectators and millions more worldwide.
But not everyone is celebrating the event.
Some users on X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit say the tradition is sexist and outdated because the 15 Inner Circle members who run the event are all male.
In a Jan. 7, 2026, letter to the editor of the Times-Tribune, Scranton-area resident Krista Murray called the Inner Circle a “symbol of patriarchal power in a society that seems reluctant to embrace gender equality, even in frivolity and pageantry.” She asked if this year’s festivities would bring “six more weeks of misogyny?”
Misogyny? Really?
Only in these highly sensitive times would someone elevate the right to yank a rodent out of a tree stump to the level of — I don’t know — women’s suffrage.
It’s true that Phil and most other famous prognosticators — Wiarton Willie, Staten Island Chuck and Buckeye Chuck — are all male. But even NPR defends the decision: male groundhogs, eager to mate, emerge from their burrows two weeks before females do. Phil predicts the weather every Feb. 2 for the simple reason that Phyllis is still sleeping.
But for those determined to overanalyze Groundhog Day, here’s a juicy angle: some allege that, before Phil married, the Inner Circle provided him with a groundhog harem — three nubile single females.
That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, 15 elderly Punxsutawney men once trafficked in Woodchucks of the Night!
Which brings us to the event’s most vocal critic, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Even though Phil lives in climate-controlled accommodations at the Punxsutawney Memorial Library, enjoys a gourmet diet and top-notch medical care, PETA is crying foul.
They say that Phil is shy — that yanking him out of a stump before bright lights and a large crowd induces incredible stress.
Their solution? Replace Phil with a giant gold coin toss, a vegan “Weather Reveal” cake or a massive 3D groundhog hologram.
Look, Groundhog Day, now in its 139th year, raises money for local charities, supports scholarships and creates numerous educational opportunities around weather, wildlife preservation and local history.
Such silly traditions celebrate our common humanity and bring a much-needed respite to our chaotic lives — particularly during an especially miserable winter.
I’m hoping Phil takes a few extra hits of his special elixir and promises us an early spring this year — and six fewer weeks of people taking Groundhog Day way too seriously.
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Copyright 2026 Dick Polman, distributed exclusively by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate.
Dick Polman, a veteran national political columnist based in Philadelphia and a Writer in Residence at the University of Pennsylvania, writes the Subject to Change newsletter. Email him at dickpolman7@gmail.com
Copyright 2026 Tom Purcell, All Rights Reserved. Credit: Cagle.com
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