I am a Catholic feminist, and I believe that a woman's experience is just as valid as a man's when it comes to how we are supposed to live as Catholics in the world today.
No, I do not believe abortion is okay. I don't promote the use of contraception, I don't think women should be priests, and I don't encourage freedom from responsibility to children.
But I am a feminist. Feminism necessarily includes personal dignity, freedom from sexual harassment and rape, and equal pay for equal work. Every 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. 1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of either an attempted or a completed rape. At the current rate, men and women will not have equal pay until 2152.
As a Catholic feminist, I am a conscientious objector. I love what sits at the heart of my faith. My purpose in life is to love as Jesus loves. But I cannot in good conscience accept what goes on in my society; that is something that needs to be, and should be, fought against.
It is time that more Catholics, both men and women, opened up the conversation between these two points of view. I can see a positive relationship between Catholicism and an active feminism that fights to protect the rights of the most vulnerable. For example, I am pro-life, but I am still a feminist. I want to protect the unborn, and I do not believe in abortion on demand, but that does not mean I do not need feminism.
Catholic teachings on solidarity demand that we listen to the marginalized and the oppressed. Third World feminists challenge Western, predominantly white feminists to consider not only issues of gender, but also those of race, culture, and class. In this sense, Catholic social teaching and feminism go hand in hand on many issues.
Being a Catholic feminist is not easy. But the important part is that Catholics bring their faith to bear on their feminism. They need to ask tough questions and act on their beliefs. Women and men must look critically at the modern world. They need to take their values into account and really look.
What does it mean to support your mothers? Your wives? Your sisters? Your daughters?
All Catholics should do so. They should be as proud as I am to say, "I am a feminist."
