Let me start off with this: this response is not, by any means, an attack. I apologize if it ever becomes misconstrued to be one, but let it be known that this is not how it was meant to be.

I recently read Ellie Winter's article "I'm the Girl Who'd Rather Raise a Family Than a Feminist Protest Sign," and felt that a few things needed to be cleared up. In this article, Winter discusses how she is perfectly content with being a stay at home mom and letting her husband "take the lead" as according to the Bible, and she feels attacked by feminists for her opinion, because feminists push for women in power and not the typical housewife role.

She did approach the opinions of the other side of the argument, and I am here to elaborate, as someone from that side.

I'll start here: feminism is not about pushing women over men.

Feminism and being a feminist gives you the power to choose your career and your life. Winter, you choosing to stick with what you believe in and make your life your own? Congratulations, that is a feminist act! I, a feminist, fully agree with your choice to be a stay at home mom and focus on raising your children. I think it's wonderful that you will be there for them and support them. This is what my own mother chose to do, and I am extremely thankful for that. I am sorry that you have felt insulted for this, but that is not what this movement is about.

Winter mentioned that "the Bible appoints men to be the head of the family" and women are "naturally sensitive" so that's why men are supposed to be the ones taking over the household duties and etc. Religion and feminism do not need to interfere, but it is ideas like that that are the reasons we are fighting. We don't want women to ever try to say we are "in no way strong enough to take on the tasks that men have been appointed to do." That is why we fight; because people often do not believe that women are strong enough.

So please, to religious women everywhere: don't stop being religious.

Yet on the flip side, there is no need to submit to all the Bible's antiquated ways. Choosing to do so is one thing, but letting a book from thousands of years ago stop you from thinking you have a choice is really no way to live.