Hey, ladies, it’s August 26, Equality Day! Woo-hoo!
How’s it going so far? In case you are not in the
loop, Women’s Equality Day
commemorates August 26, 1920 when the right for women to vote became official. But equality has not rained down happiness on women.
A few years ago, a Time Magazine report
on the happiness of women concluded: “Among the most confounding changes
of all is the evidence, tracked by numerous surveys, that as women have gained
more freedom, more education and more economic power, they have become less
happy. No tidy theory explains the trend.” Who needs a
theory? The numbers tell the story.
How’s it going so far? In case you are not in the
loop, Women’s Equality Day
commemorates August 26, 1920 when the right for women to vote became official. But equality has not rained down happiness on women.
A few years ago, a Time Magazine report
on the happiness of women concluded: “Among the most confounding changes
of all is the evidence, tracked by numerous surveys, that as women have gained
more freedom, more education and more economic power, they have become less
happy. No tidy theory explains the trend.” Who needs a
theory? The numbers tell the story.
▪ 40 percent of women are the primary breadwinners.
▪ Among 3.3 million married couples, the wife is the sole earner.
▪ Only about 30 percent of kids grow up with a stay-at-home parent.
▪ 39 percent of all births are to unmarried mothers.
Not good. I believe that the spirit of rebellion of
Catholic Church teaching is the problem. It was such rebellion that
launched the sexual revolution of the Sixties, the birth-control pill, and then
finally abortion.
Women are now more pressured and expected
to have sex before marriage. Before, there was a sacredness and respect
given to those who waited. And if they relent and get
pregnant, the babies are viewed as their choice, their problem. Half of women who have abortions, report
that they do so because they do not want to be single mothers or because their
partners do not want the babies.
Then, somewhere on the way to gaining rights,
marriages fell apart in a big way. No-fault divorce meant
no-strings-attached; no alimony for stay-at-home moms. Today, even if there are
small children involved, divorced women are pushed to work or called
lazy. But the face of poverty is still largely a female head of family.
That seems to be something the women’s movement just cannot get at.
Catholic Church teaching is the problem. It was such rebellion that
launched the sexual revolution of the Sixties, the birth-control pill, and then
finally abortion.
Women are now more pressured and expected
to have sex before marriage. Before, there was a sacredness and respect
given to those who waited. And if they relent and get
pregnant, the babies are viewed as their choice, their problem. Half of women who have abortions, report
that they do so because they do not want to be single mothers or because their
partners do not want the babies.
Then, somewhere on the way to gaining rights,
marriages fell apart in a big way. No-fault divorce meant
no-strings-attached; no alimony for stay-at-home moms. Today, even if there are
small children involved, divorced women are pushed to work or called
lazy. But the face of poverty is still largely a female head of family.
That seems to be something the women’s movement just cannot get at.
If I had been alive during the Suffrage Movement, I
would have fought for the right to vote. But the methods used in fighting for
Women’s equality must be evaluated according to the dignity of woman in the
light of the word of God.
would have fought for the right to vote. But the methods used in fighting for
Women’s equality must be evaluated according to the dignity of woman in the
light of the word of God.
On the Dignity of Women
Pope John Paul II expressed this desire of the Church
in 1995 when he wrote his Apostolic Letter titled Mulieris
Dignitatem – On the Vocation and Dignity of Women to
address the eternal measure of feminine dignity as part of
God’s great work. He agreed that women’s dignity has not always been
acknowledged which resulted in a spiritual impoverishment of humanity.
“When it comes to setting women free from every kind of exploitation and
domination, the Gospel contains an ever relevant message which goes back to the
attitude of Jesus Christ himself,”
he wrote. “Transcending the
established norms of his own culture, Jesus treated women with openness, respect,
acceptance, and tenderness. In this way he honored the dignity which women have
always possessed according to God’s plan and in his love.”
in 1995 when he wrote his Apostolic Letter titled Mulieris
Dignitatem – On the Vocation and Dignity of Women to
address the eternal measure of feminine dignity as part of
God’s great work. He agreed that women’s dignity has not always been
acknowledged which resulted in a spiritual impoverishment of humanity.
“When it comes to setting women free from every kind of exploitation and
domination, the Gospel contains an ever relevant message which goes back to the
attitude of Jesus Christ himself,”
he wrote. “Transcending the
established norms of his own culture, Jesus treated women with openness, respect,
acceptance, and tenderness. In this way he honored the dignity which women have
always possessed according to God’s plan and in his love.”
Pope JP II stood behind real equality in every
area such as equal pay for equal work and fairness in career advancements but
he always upheld morality and respect for life and stopped short of encouraging
women to do everything that men do. Referring to the Book of Genesis, he
said that we are then told that, from the very beginning, man has been created “male
and female” (Gen 1:27). “Woman complements man, just as
man complements woman: men and women are complementary. Womanhood
expresses the “human” as much as manhood does, but in a different and
complementary way.”
area such as equal pay for equal work and fairness in career advancements but
he always upheld morality and respect for life and stopped short of encouraging
women to do everything that men do. Referring to the Book of Genesis, he
said that we are then told that, from the very beginning, man has been created “male
and female” (Gen 1:27). “Woman complements man, just as
man complements woman: men and women are complementary. Womanhood
expresses the “human” as much as manhood does, but in a different and
complementary way.”
So an authentic women’s movement should be more aboutdignity and serving others in Christ rather than being free to do whatever one
wishes — such as ending a pregnancy, becoming a priest, or engaging in
licentious behavior. Such supposed freedoms, end up as slavery. It is here that
we have a paradox, for the more we submit to God, as St. Paul calls it the
“obedience of faith” (Rom. 1:5) the more free we will be.
We are of infinite value and dignity. Our God-given gifts
are meant to be used to enrich the world along paths God has chosen for
us. This is where our strength, beauty and equality lie. And, I believe,
our true happiness.
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are meant to be used to enrich the world along paths God has chosen for
us. This is where our strength, beauty and equality lie. And, I believe,
our true happiness.
_________________________________________________
For more inspiration, check out Big Hearted: Inspiring Stories From Everyday Families. Your children will laugh while learning big spiritual lessons with Dear God, I Don’t Get It! and Dear God, You Can’t Be Serious.
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