Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Pondering the Roles We Play....

Okay, here’s the deal. I can’t even count how many women I have seen riding motorcycles recently. And I don’t mean riding on the back with their guy in front, I’m talking about women-all by themselves, on a motorcycle of their own, tearing down the highway! The sight still catches me off guard!


Then there are all these television series that have aired in recent years, where women are in the roles of tough, no-nonsense, gun-wielding, high-kicking killing machines who make Annie Oakley look like a fairy princess with a pop gun. Women like “Fi” on Burn Notice or Angelina Jolie in the movie role of Mrs. Smith, along with dozens of others...that’s what I’m talking about.
The truth is, I am not sure why it is so hard for me, of all people, to adjust to these particular gender shifts. The reason being, for the last 14 years I have been in the similar place in a dominantly male role...a pastor, no less. I admit it caused me ongoing and reoccurring duress till I got used to the idea myself, but none-the-less, I did get used to it and I have flourished in the role and love the ministry opportunities and the opportunity to serve my God and others this way. I am suited for pastoral ministry. It is my nature, my calling and an act of obedience. Which makes it a joy.
Those other roles? And even seeing men as nurses...well, I guess eventually “the shock” will wear off and I will get used to the idea, well maybe not the “gun toting” thing, but the others anyway. 

2 comments:

  1. I think women have been tough all along, just not necessarily gun toting. But I do love the idea that a woman can do anything she wants, just as a man. For so long we have been seen as the weaker sex. But what we lack in physical strength, we make up for in emotional strength. I think every girl has a princess inside of her that wants to live happily ever after, but I also think we all have a gun toting Fi inside of us that wants to break out of that "weaker sex" box and show the world we can kick some butt too. I've got a lot of Fi in me, I just don't like guns and can't make a bomb out of household cleaners. :) That being said, I think we also need to be careful that our feminism is not disrespectful or demasculating (not a word, I am sure, but you get it) to the men of this world. Otherwise, we are no better than a male chauvinist who thinks his wife belongs in the kitchen making him dinner. It's a fine line.

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  2. Great insights, Jen, and I agree. I appreciate you taking the time to respond...you are the first! I always wonder how people feel with my posts or if they are even read:)

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