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Ok, so I had a (long) conversation w/ someone I love this week about sexism within the church. About how my progressive church church is closing this location (it's a thing. I have to make some decisions once going to church becomes a possibility) and I'm not sure what the longer-term plan is. And part of that is that I feel profoundly betrayed by the protestant church as it exists as a cesspool of sexism. And part of that also means that fuck if my kid is going where the message says she's lesser than her male counterparts. So, long story short, I pointed asked how women in leadership are considered by his church--and he didn't know (to which my response was literally "why the fuck not?"). The conversation ended with "ok, as a joe Schmoe member of my church and a man, what could I do to make this seem more OK?" And ...I was blanker than I thought I should be. I said 1)find out what they say about it because there's no excuse not to know. And talk to authorities about how that's driving people like us away--and read a a book or 3 on the topic 2)attend a meeting. Amplify women's voices, shut up men who talk over us (and yes, I assured him that I could guarant-fucking-tee it was happening, he just hadn't noticed) and 3) find ways to promote women in leadership. Since this will be a conversation w/ follow up....since it was a genuine offer and I was caught flat footed...what would FJ suggest? If you had a well-respected, old, cis, straight, white dude wanting to be an ally against church sexism, what would y'all ask for? How could he not be a...I guess a paul?