When Wounded Women Speak Up

A recent Facebook thread generated a rather robust discussion about women's roles and equality in the context of Christianity. One commenter, a pastor, contributed to the discussion the typical storyline that women who reject the headship doctrine are likely wounded because of men who lead poorly.
Have a listen:

I understand the pain and hurt that many women have had in their homes and churches over "headship" theology but that doesn't mean we can throw out the fact that Godly men are to lead. Yes, women can have the gifts of pastoring, teaching...etc.. but eldership is ultimately responsible for the direction of a home and church. This pisses many women off because MANY men are very, very unsatisfactory in their spiritual leadership. I am sorry for our failures to be trustworthy.... doesn't mean we can change God's plan because it feels better to have control.

This pastor effectively demonstrates one reason why so many women remain "in the closet" about their misgivings with male hierarchy. A woman who dissents to the No Women Allowed sign on the door risks being interpreted as a woman operating from a maimed point of view.


The same commenter also directs the discussion to the issue of power and gender writing,

Our culture is fighting around us for power, rights and prominence. Unfortunately, the evangelical community is also fighting over the gender issue. Sometimes, both sides seem to be angry and power hungry to win the argument.

I address this is my book, Unladylike: Resisting the Injustice of Inequality in the Church, the notion that women who challenge Christianized sexism are sometimes met with a pushback that it is really an attempt to grab power. I find this logic flimsy when the person in a position of privelage and power explains to the person who is oppressed, that their desire for liberty is really a misguided grab for illicit power.

Is it just me?

Telling women that the male gender by virtue and divine design  are meant to possess power, and then insist that women who buck against this are themselves fighting for power is a telling sign of oppression. 

The woman is relegated to a subservient role and then told by those who have assigned her this space that to reject her role is to attempt to vie for power that is not meant to be hers.

Paulo Friere says it this way:

The behavior of the oppressed is a prescribed behavior, following as it does the guidelines of the oppressor.

And that pretty much sums it up for me which is why I am calling on women and men of faith to act Unladylike.