Women empowerment...

The more I read, learn, think about gender discrimination in our world the more feminist I want to become.  Not because I want women to rise above men but because we continue to perpetuate such a limited picture that denies women the ability to live into fullness, as people of gifting and incredible significance.  We as the body of Christ are recreated in Christ and richly gifted by God’s Spirit.  We must not limit this gifting on the basis of gender.  Scripture advocates that we live liberally into these areas of giftedness regardless of gender and we greatly limit a full experience of the body without doing so.  We need to continue intentionally seek out ways to empower women locally and globally.

We have to get corrective in a way that chooses to challenge the categories and labels society continues to promote; in a way that works within our context to radically oppose while avoiding the temptation to be overly corrective.  I love what Michelle Bachelet said in the video for International Women’s Day last week... “The neglect of women’s rights means lack of progress on gender equality.  But also means that that enormous social and economic potential of half of the populations is so underutilized.  Women rights are human rights.”

It seems far too often we think that we have made so much progress in the US, that the bigger problem resides in other countries around the world that don’t have equal opportunity.  The sobering truth is, in the United States we have one of the highest rates of rape, 17 times higher than many other countries around the globe.  Domestic violence is also the leading cause of injury for women.    And our media hyped perception of women seems to be extremely warped.  While only 27% of people in commercial media are women, 83% of those women are sexualized.  We are among the worst. 

I feel very fortunate as a women.  I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity I’ve been given for education and the ways that I’m encouraged as a person of leadership within the church.  But my heart is weighs heavy for the woman who was raped and robbed at gunpoint on Saturday night in her driveway two streets down from where I work.  I’m so infuriated.  As I drove into work early this morning I had several moments of feeling very threatened myself.  I get to work so many days in the dark and early hours of the morning or lock up long after dark.  Who’s to say it couldn’t have been me?  I’ve never felt threatened like this before.  And it makes me even more livid that women around the world live day to day in constant fear of violation. 

We have to move out of categories.  Not only to value women more fully but because it’s a liberating experience for everyone.  Watch this! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3exzMPT4nGI. 

 

“I am convinced that women are the greatest untapped resource in the world.  We have talents, skills, education, and financial resources that women didn’t dream of in the past.  Beyond all this, we have the tremendous power of compassion. How different the world could be if we each responded compassionately to the needs of our sisters—whether they work at the desk next to us or live half way across the world.” –Lynne Hybels