Still Crazy after all these Years!

At some early moment in the development of the human being it is determined that the child, yet to be born will be male or female. This is determined by the father, whether there is an XX or an XY (female-male), is determined by the gene given by the male. The female only has X's to give. Oddly though in the world's thoughts-- women are still 'blamed' for either bearing a girl or a boy. In some places this can mean life or death for the mother and infant, or being avoided or shunned.

We here in this most materially blessed of places look at those who select against Girl-babies, and Girl-children and shake our heads in rapt judgement. "How dare they?" we say self-righteously. They don't honor their girls. That's just not FAIR!. How dare we? Because we don't honor our girls either.

The American Association of University Women has been working for years to lift up the girls so that they can do all they are meant to do. Self-esteem of young women essential so that they can stand as they should using their gifts and skills. They do not put down males and their needs but rather draw attention to the distinct needs of females.

The church I grew up in First Community Church, in Columbus, Ohio, reminded us as youth that..
"To whom much is given, much is expected." There was never any gender bias about who could do more or contribute more to the world. This applied to both the girls and boys in the church and in the youth group. We were taught that God had given us gifts and skills and that we had by chance been born into a place where we had amazing opportunity to do good in the world.

This is true. How can we in 2004 still abide with those who reinforce the image that to insult men/boys the most --you compare them to women/girls? Because 'females' continue to be the standard by which people are insulted. Look how many swear words are about abusing women. Even those that are hurled at a man are those that infer the domination of females by males.. What is this about? Why are we still so out of step with God's plan for us? Why do we allow insults to be hurled at our daughters, at all daughters, at mothers, at women and laugh it off and say, "Boys will be boys?"

Jesus, that radical male of ALL time, put aside the laws of the day that put people down and taught both women and men, we see this when females and males sat at his feet, a place of honor, and were educated about how God loved them. And yet we, who claim to be faithful, allow and encourage slander against women, by being silent in the face of national figures continuing to use language that belittles females. We laugh, and say boys will be boys. That excuse always fell empty in front of me. It is not funny. Even more importantly is it NOT a faithful stance.

Friends, here's what I've always thought. If God, who we claim to believe created us, (male and female, God created us,) had wanted females not to use the brains and life forces given, then females would simply not have had brains. Females of the human species would have been created sub-human to wait on the brainy gender. Not the case. God, remember God, God created humankind to be in partnership with one another to bring about the best we can for all the earth. No one demeaned. No one put down. Equals in this partnership so that we can praise God together. So to use language, or images, or actions that are against the female of the species is to do these things against the One who created us all.

So, tune your ears to what is being said about females in the world. Object to anything that puts one gender over another. And take care with your own words--- language has power to hurt or heal.

God abides
Bobbie McGarey
@2004