Newman1

Lauren Newman

Dr. Kendra Parker

ENG 113-03

September 21st, 2017

Feminism: Equal Treatment for Both Sexes

When it comes to feminism, most advocates agree feminism is a movement striving to

attain equal rights for women. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is when questioning

what feminism actually stands for. Many feminists believe Christianity and feminism go hand in

hand, that Christ demonstrated women as human beings worthy of respect and consideration

(Dance, Adams). Others maintain, as well, the history of feminism should be studied in the light

of scripture and, therefore, the texts of Christianity and feminism both require interpretation to

understand why they overlap (Buckley, Green). Through examining Christian beliefs, it is clear

to me that feminism as a movement is best defined as equal treatment of both sexes.

Feminism needs to be coherent with Gods teachings: There is neither Jew nor Greek,

there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus

(Galatians 3:28). For example, in high school I was part of the womens basketball team playing

doubleheaders most Friday nights with the mens basketball team. Our team, however, always

played at the earlier time slot before the men because my school believed more people came to

watch male sports than female. My school failed to exemplify equal treatment of men and

women. They did not see the two sports teams as one in Christ Jesus, but as one gender who

couldnt measure up to the other in performance. Men and women differ physiologically, but

they were made for the purpose of completing each other in a unity (Genesis 2:24) and bear the
 Newman2

image of God with equal rights and responsibilities (Buckley). The Bible calls for us to be equal

but often times we are not always treated or viewed that way.

In addition, feminism must entail the Bible verse, You shall love your neighbor as

yourself (Mark 12:31). For example, a group called New Atheists, believe women should be

seen inferior to men and take part in alienating women. They are blatantly targeting a gender and

verbally abusing women simply because of their gender identity. Richard Dawkins plays a

formative role in the atheist movement. On twitter, he is guilty of snarling about how feminists

are, shrill harridans who just want an excuse to take offense (@RichardDawkins). The

undeserved hatred put upon women does not profess love for ones neighbor; isolating a specific

gender does not achieve the goal of equal treatment for both sexes. One way of showing equality

is expressing love for others. We are called to be like Jesus who treated all women like human

beings worthy of respect and consideration (Adams). Loving ones neighbors does not mean

love the people who live next to you in your subdivision nor does it mean to love just men or just

women; it means to love all individuals that make up the children of Christ - men and women.

Christianity and feminism are both sets of text that require further interpretation for

understanding (Green).

Christianity and feminism go hand in hand (Dance). My definition of feminism involves

a movement that is for the equal treatment of both sexes. Feminism needs to be coherent with

Gods teachings that men and women were created to be equal and not divided from one another.

Feminism, also, must entail loving our neighbors the way we love ourselves, refraining from the

targeting of genders and unnecessary hatred. We are in no way like men: we tend to dress

different, we admire different things, we choose different aspirations in life, but we are equal to

men in every way. The Christian faith is the basis for the foundation of what feminism stands
 Newman3

for. If we cannot love all Gods creations equally, the feminism movement cannot exist. Equal

treatment for both sexes started with Christian faith in the scriptures of God and feminism is the

product.
 Newman4

Works Cited

Adams, Char. Im a Christian Feminist, Because Jesus Loves Women, and We Should, Too.

Bustle, 27 Jul. 2016,

www.bustle.com/articles/173684-im-a-christian-feminist-because-jesus-loves-women-

and-we-should-too.

Buckley, Amy. Why You Should Be a Christian Feminist. Relevant, 31 Dec. 2014.

Dance, Gabby. Why All Christians Should Be Feminists. Odyssey, 19 Mar. 2017,

www.theodysseyonline.com/all-christians-should-be-feminists.

Green, Emma. Christian, or Feminist? The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2015.

The Bible. Authorized King James Version, Oxford UP, 1998.