It's easy to move straight to outrage. Between your slightly-unhinged Aunt Edna's Facebook posts and 24 news-cycle idiocy, a good solution might be a "Break Glass For Xanax" canister near every laptop.
Hence why I decided not write this post last week.
I recently attended an important meeting for a partnering organization. I was the only woman there, but since I work in a male-centered and dominated environment, I'm pretty used to that. I'm also used to being the one asking difficult questions. I attribute this mostly to my journalism roots and an even longer-running distaste for bullcrap.
But I was in the middle of the meeting, waiting at my seat for the next discussion to start. A few folks milled around, sipping iced tea. One of the other representatives came over, put his hand on my shoulder, and smilingly asked, "where's your husband?"
Let me be clear. This was a business meeting. You would not ask a man the whereabouts of his wife in the middle of a business meeting, but especially in the context of the church, it's perfectly acceptable to ask professional women their relationship status.
I thought fast, and stammered out "He's been inevitably detained by the time-space continuum." I'm a nerd.
The second question I got from at least three other representatives (I lost count) was, after introducing myself by my job title, "Do you have a degree?" The first time I was asked this, I didn't hear the question behind the question, namely, "Who are you? Why are you here? Are you your boss' envoy?" No one else was asked this question, despite the fact that at least one other representative didn't hold a degree (and he was a dude, folks!)
What makes me furious is that my status in the church is not determined by the quality of the work I do, or by the character with which I conduct myself. It's by my relationship to men, and my perceived assistance to them. What also frustrates me is that some who read this will take this as the rantings of a bitter, single woman who, God forbid, probably edges too liberal and is just kicking up a fuss for funsies. Add that to the fact that I even have to explain myself in the first place.
Stop it. I'm just as much a contributing member of the Kingdom as a single, in possession of a bachelor's degree person as I am a married, non-degree holding, and whipping up biscuits in the kitchen housewife.
Stop perpetuating caste systems in the Body of Christ.
Hence why I decided not write this post last week.
I recently attended an important meeting for a partnering organization. I was the only woman there, but since I work in a male-centered and dominated environment, I'm pretty used to that. I'm also used to being the one asking difficult questions. I attribute this mostly to my journalism roots and an even longer-running distaste for bullcrap.
But I was in the middle of the meeting, waiting at my seat for the next discussion to start. A few folks milled around, sipping iced tea. One of the other representatives came over, put his hand on my shoulder, and smilingly asked, "where's your husband?"
Let me be clear. This was a business meeting. You would not ask a man the whereabouts of his wife in the middle of a business meeting, but especially in the context of the church, it's perfectly acceptable to ask professional women their relationship status.
I thought fast, and stammered out "He's been inevitably detained by the time-space continuum." I'm a nerd.
The second question I got from at least three other representatives (I lost count) was, after introducing myself by my job title, "Do you have a degree?" The first time I was asked this, I didn't hear the question behind the question, namely, "Who are you? Why are you here? Are you your boss' envoy?" No one else was asked this question, despite the fact that at least one other representative didn't hold a degree (and he was a dude, folks!)
What makes me furious is that my status in the church is not determined by the quality of the work I do, or by the character with which I conduct myself. It's by my relationship to men, and my perceived assistance to them. What also frustrates me is that some who read this will take this as the rantings of a bitter, single woman who, God forbid, probably edges too liberal and is just kicking up a fuss for funsies. Add that to the fact that I even have to explain myself in the first place.
Stop it. I'm just as much a contributing member of the Kingdom as a single, in possession of a bachelor's degree person as I am a married, non-degree holding, and whipping up biscuits in the kitchen housewife.
Stop perpetuating caste systems in the Body of Christ.
