So I just stumbled across this:
http://hannahhurtful.tumblr.com
This may be the most awesome thing I've seen in many months. It's refreshing to see that there are people who really get it (!) when it comes to feminism and what it means to be a feminist. I would copy and post some of my favorite posts but I don't know how to do that from tumblr. I don't even know what tumblr is, really, as opposed to blogger or whatever.
Hats off to hannahhurtful for the inspiring morning.
*** Edit***
Just attended my first church meeting in the new ward. The topic for discussion in priesthood was the talk in our last general conference by Elder Oaks, which focused on the keys and authority of the priesthood. He also touched a lot on why men in the Church are ordained to offices within the priesthood and why women are not. Essentially it boils down to the idea that Christ Himself has directed the pattern and that people in earth must follow His direction. While I dislike that explanation - choosing to believe that there is (must be!) a better explanation - I am willing to accept that as a matter of faith, trusting that God has said better explanation and will make that known to me in the future.
But someone brought up the whole thing about "women can bear children/men bear the priesthood." That if men could somehow bear children then women could then bear the priesthood. This bothers me for many reasons, one of which I said in the meeting was that we need to be careful mixing that issue. Bearing children is largely a biological function, I said, albeit a sacred and significant one. Bearing the priesthood is a social thing, something assigned to men by God, which has nothing to do with gender except that God has said it's for men. It's a big difference, and one that does not lend itself to easy or flippant comparison.
A point was also made regarding the idea that men are given the priesthood in order to make us on a par with women. This is benevolent sexism, but it is still sexism. I didn't say anything about it, feeling I'd used my pot-stirring moment for one Sunday.
There was also a brief jab at the women of the Ordain Women movement. This was pretty quickly and adroitly handled by another brother in the meeting who said that we shouldn't be hasty in judging these women or their motives. That we don't know. And since we don't know, we should always act with patience, love, and compassion. He was right on, and I gave him an AMEN. He said that we may get to the other side where our understanding will be more clear and be very surprised at how right on these women are. Which elicited another AMEN! from me.
PS. I love it when my daughter calls out my son when he's being sexist and/or patronizing. What an awesome young woman she is!
http://hannahhurtful.tumblr.com
This may be the most awesome thing I've seen in many months. It's refreshing to see that there are people who really get it (!) when it comes to feminism and what it means to be a feminist. I would copy and post some of my favorite posts but I don't know how to do that from tumblr. I don't even know what tumblr is, really, as opposed to blogger or whatever.
Hats off to hannahhurtful for the inspiring morning.
*** Edit***
Just attended my first church meeting in the new ward. The topic for discussion in priesthood was the talk in our last general conference by Elder Oaks, which focused on the keys and authority of the priesthood. He also touched a lot on why men in the Church are ordained to offices within the priesthood and why women are not. Essentially it boils down to the idea that Christ Himself has directed the pattern and that people in earth must follow His direction. While I dislike that explanation - choosing to believe that there is (must be!) a better explanation - I am willing to accept that as a matter of faith, trusting that God has said better explanation and will make that known to me in the future.
But someone brought up the whole thing about "women can bear children/men bear the priesthood." That if men could somehow bear children then women could then bear the priesthood. This bothers me for many reasons, one of which I said in the meeting was that we need to be careful mixing that issue. Bearing children is largely a biological function, I said, albeit a sacred and significant one. Bearing the priesthood is a social thing, something assigned to men by God, which has nothing to do with gender except that God has said it's for men. It's a big difference, and one that does not lend itself to easy or flippant comparison.
A point was also made regarding the idea that men are given the priesthood in order to make us on a par with women. This is benevolent sexism, but it is still sexism. I didn't say anything about it, feeling I'd used my pot-stirring moment for one Sunday.
There was also a brief jab at the women of the Ordain Women movement. This was pretty quickly and adroitly handled by another brother in the meeting who said that we shouldn't be hasty in judging these women or their motives. That we don't know. And since we don't know, we should always act with patience, love, and compassion. He was right on, and I gave him an AMEN. He said that we may get to the other side where our understanding will be more clear and be very surprised at how right on these women are. Which elicited another AMEN! from me.
PS. I love it when my daughter calls out my son when he's being sexist and/or patronizing. What an awesome young woman she is!
Comments
Thank you for your kind words. There is simply no way for me to understand how terribly lonely and discouraging it must be for you at times. I know it is difficult to gauge a person's sincerity in a blog post comment, but please know that you are not alone and that you are very loved. Women and men of good character and faith stand with you and gains are being made. Even the awkward conversation we had in my priesthood meeting earlier is helpful, because the conversation was had.
And that's what is important - keeping open the lines of communication so that all sides may be heard and considered. I believe this has a great ability to affect change for the better.
Thanks again for the kind words. May your life have peace and joy and light.