In celebration of Nancy's Voices of the True Woman Movement book release, we asked a few staff members and friends of the ministry to share their reflections on different chapters of the book. This is part 3 of a nine-part series. Enjoy!
I live in San Diego. My city boasts several of the oldest Feminist institutions in the United States, many of them linked to our university system. So it was with interest that I read Mary Kassian’s chapter on Feminism in Voices of the True Woman Movement.
I was impressed with Mary’s intellect as she unpackages the history of the Feminist Movement, enabling women to clearly see the consequences of its unbiblical agenda. Her chapter, “You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby,” documents the ad campaign promoting the self-made woman, and then explains how Feminists dismantled America’s traditional, Judeo-Christian framework of gender, sexuality, and family. She compares the lifestyle of 50 years ago with that of today, quoting statistics and painting the sad picture of our decaying society: promiscuity and perversion, gender confusion, cohabitation, divorce, and more.
The part that affected me most was Mary's exposure of Feminism’s selfish agenda, including “consciousness-raising,” which encourages women to change their beliefs and behaviors, make more demands in their relationships, get on board with the Movement, and become politically active to promote Feminism’s goals. I realized that Christians must be even more committed. We need to help women understand the wise plan of God in gender roles and responsibilities. As I finished reading, I desired to help the women in my sphere of influence become courageous women with a Christian worldview of their femininity.
It didn’t take long for an opportunity—I shared some of what I learned from Mary with a woman after a swim class. Leslie’s mom was a Feminist, and Leslie had obviously absorbed much of the Feminist philosophy into her life. A lesbian in a relationship that she admitted was “not satisfying,” Leslie said she didn't think she could relate to the biblical model of womanhood.
"It's all too frilly," she said. "I'm not like that. I don't think God has room for a woman like me."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I don't like to cook and sew. I like overalls. I really don't like children," she said. "My partner is more like that."
As we shared together at a Denny's restaurant, I told Leslie about God’s love. She admitted that she really had no room for God's point of view, but realized that there had to be more to life than what she and her partner were experiencing. She asked, “Are you satisfied with God, knowing that He is so restrictive?”
"I don't look at His will as restrictive," I said. "I consider God's boundaries to be His loving care for me—I am so free within His plan for my life. I love being a woman, and I’m totally satisfied. But it’s not about me being satisfied; it’s about my life satisfying God and discovering and obeying His will.
I explained more about God's design for men and women, and she listened. But the truth is, her heart was set against anything to do with God's control and the authority of the Word of God. I’m still praying for Leslie.
In the meantime, Mary inspired me to speak the truth in love, because women in our culture like Leslie—and women in many of our churches—desperately need to hear what it means to be a True Woman.
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