Monday, March 21, 2011

Feminism

I am a Feminist.  It's not contradictory with my faith, in fact I think my personal beliefs would be lacking without my feminist ideals.  I've attached an interesting article that I believe nicely outlines Feminism in an LDS context, it's problems, and the ways in which we still haven't quite gotten it.  I agree with almost everything in there.

http://squaretwo.org/Sq2ArticleHardyFeminism.html

This article made me think a lot.  One quote, in particular, struck a cord with me:
George Albert Smith:
“I wonder if we appreciate the daughters of God as He appreciates them.”
When I read this, I realized that what Brother Smith is saying is not "I wonder if we appreciate the daughters of God as much as He appreciates them"  but rather "I wonder if we appreciate the daughters of God in the same way He appreciates them."  So often in church meetings I hear men who speak of the sweet, gentle, fragile women of God.  While some of us truly are that way, and those are wonderful qualities in every human being, I wonder if the problem of gender relations in the church doesn't lie in the fact that God appreciates the strength and courage of women.  I think that what Brother Smith is getting at is that appreciating doesn't mean looking at and admiring, but holding a deep respect for.  That's the way that hope God views me, and the way I hope men and women will as well.
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1 comment:

  1. hannahsydney18March 21, 2011 at 10:55 PM

    Or maybe Smith was saying that in appreciating women the same way G-d does, means appreciating them for WHO they are, not what/who we have CREATED them to be (weak, strong, docile, crazy, bitch, angel, etc.)?

    Here's a quote I think you might like:

    "Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented, and fabulous? Actually,who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some; it is in everyone. And, as we let our own light shine,we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
    - Marianne Williamson, co-leader of the United States Department of Peace movement

    If we let go of our fear of others (in whatever way) and let ourselves truly and uninhibitedly shine, we "give permission" to others to do the same. Can you imagine the butterfly effect of that?...

    March 21, 2011 10:53 PM

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