Hi, my name is Hannah, and I am a Christian.
Because of my background, life choices, and college choices, that fact doesn't really surprise people. I've never been one to hide my faith, and will talk about it if asked.
Hi, my name is Hannah, and I am a feminist.
This is something that is usually more hidden within me, simply because of how feminists are viewed. Feminists are seen as people who burn their bras, hate men, and have a terrible outlook on life. But that is not at all true. Feminists are simply people who would wish that women, and others in a minority position, were seen as people, rather than objects.
You know who else did this? Jesus. He walked with the downtrodden and outcast. He took time to feed the hungry, walk alongside the poor, and heal the sick and wounded. Lepers were seen as social outcasts (sound familiar?) but Jesus regularly sought them out and healed them.
Why? Because God the Father, Jesus' Father, our Father, intended the world to be that way. The Bible clearly says that we are all His children, and that He loves us. The Bible doesn't say that God loves all of His children but loves those who are straight, white, males a little bit more. It says that we were all created in God's image, to be His people.
Yet this idea that men are somehow more than women is still strong. I was once in a class where a young man opened up about his time at an internship. He was in a very male-dominated environment, where there was only one woman, and the men regularly made sexist jokes. This young man talked about how he wanted to try and make it better for his female coworker, but he did not know how. He was afraid that if he stuck up for her, he would not have as many opportunities in the field. My reaction? "Welcome to every working woman's struggle after taking maternity leave," to which another young woman aimed in, "If she even gets time off."
It's crazy to me to think that women basically have to choose between two of their passions: They either have to have a job that they love, or they get to have a family. God gave people a passion for starting a family, but He also gave us life passions. In certain fields, women basically have to choose between their callings: Do they want to serve the world and keep working, or do they want to accomplish the same task by having a child?
I think the same goes for my being a Christian and a feminist. I have a passion for living my life the way I believe God wants me to live it. I also have a passion for being His hands and feet and helping those who have not been granted the same, I'll come right out and say it, privileges I have been given. I don't think women should have to choose between being a Christian or a feminist, because I truly believe that they go hand in hand. By helping those who have not been given the same experiences, we're doing exactly what God commands us to do: Go out and make disciples, because we are all His children and He loves us dearly.
