"Feminism: The advocacy of women's rights based on the equality of the sexes." - Urban Dictionary
The word "Feminist" or "Feminism" used to leave a bad taste in my mouth.
These are words that has been around for a long time (since the 1800s at least), but have become increasingly popular of late, especially in American culture.
Feminism started because at one point in America, it was illegal for women to read, vote or go to college. It was illegal to buy or use any form of birth control even within marriage. It was not illegal to take advantage of a woman, and rape her, and there were no negative consequences for the men involved. Women were unprepared to enter the work force because up until WW2, women were expected to stay at home and raise the children. If a woman lost her husband, whether or not she was elderly or young, she would become homeless because she was either unprepared for the work force or discriminated against due to her sex. Once our men came home from WW2, women were expected to go back to home and raise the children, even if they desired to continue being in the workforce.
Women were oppressed in all ways imaginable. In many countries, we still are. Feminism grew and developed throughout the years as a way to change this, because many women - and men - saw a disparity in the genders and desired change.
One of the things that really rubs me the wrong way, is that from the beginning, Christian and Catholic women were the primary sources of women that disagreed with the idea of feminism. Men from all different walks of life disagreed with the idea. But the primary source of women that disagreed called themselves Christians, Catholic, Conservative. Feminism was offensive to them because they considered it to be "anti-Biblical" to work outside the home; prevent pregnancy; go to college or pursue higher knowledge; to leave your husband; or choose to remain a single woman.
In the 90s, feminism centered around women trying to change the typical view of what a woman was and could be. It also centered around opposition to violence against women and sexual assault. This is something that is still necessary to fight and oppose to this day. Did you know that it's currently not illegal in America to take photos up the skirt of a women?
I bought into the view that the word "feminism" centered around getting women equal rights as men. But ALSO that women who called themselves "feminists" hated men, wanted to stop chauvinism, loved birth control and abortion and hated children, and thought that all women should just go to college and be businesswomen. That's a stereotypical view of feminists. Some women may call themselves feminists and believe that. The majority do not.
The majority of feminists recognize that there is a disparity between the genders. They recognize that the treatment of men and women is highly unequal, and that it should be changed. That does not sound "Anti-Biblical" to me. I have talked to a couple women that told me that they haven't experienced any inequality in their lives as women.
To them I say, congratulations. I'm so happy for you. As we can see from the recent #metoo movement, it's not the case for the majority of women. This isn't the time to discuss that more in depth, but I do want to say that most men don't have to fear sexual oppression when they're just walking down the street. Women and girls are 5 times more likely to be sexually assaulted than their male counterparts.
I started seeing feminism differently after reading an essay by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, titled, "Why We Should All be Feminists". It's only 45 (small) pages long and I encourage everyone to read it. Just read it. I'm not even going to quote her here, because the book is too good.
I am a Christian feminist. I believe in the God of the Bible. I believe that all people are created in the image of God, that human life is sacred, that all have sinned, and that God's holy son Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, and our sins were completely forgiven upon his Resurrection. (Genesis 1:27; Genesis 3; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Luke 23:26 - 24:12).
To say that women and men are unequal, and should stay that way, is to deny that both man and woman were created in his image. We sinned equally. He LOVES us equally (Genesis 2; Romans 3:23; Matthew/Mark/Luke/John).
God himself says that there is NO distinction: "For there is no distinction: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. …" (Romans 3:22-24).
ALL. Gentile, Jew, woman, man, etc. God knows no race or gender when it comes to his expectations for us: obedience.
To believe that men and women should remain separated by gender, is to believe that segregation should remain based upon gender.
I believe that men and women are created equal. I believe that black African and white American are created to be equal. I believe that young and old are created equal. I believe that autistic and "typical" are created equal. I believe that the God of the Bible loves every single one of us equally, and does not discriminate based on gender, race, ability, age, or anything else. Everyone has access to Him.
If our God does not discriminate, why should we?
To allow women to be treated or seen as less than men is to hold the view that there is one type of person that is better than anyone else. You become part of the bigger problem at large when you hold this ideal that men are better than women. If this is believed worldwide, what chance to people of other races, ability levels, or ages, have to achieve equality?
I am not saying that there is no difference between the genders. I believe that differences are what make us special, and should be acknowledged and treated with respect. God has a plan for our differences. But that is not the main focus of this post. Maybe another day.
This is why I am a feminist. I believe that Feminism is a women's rights issue, and that makes it a Human's Rights issue. I like to use the word feminist because it acknowledges the disparity between the genders that so many people these days would love to ignore. Just saying that I am for Human's Rights and equality for all is too generic.
I love men, I love babies, I do believe that differences make us special, and I am a feminist. And I'm a pro-life, Bible-believing Christian.
