Newspapers / Lambda (Carolina Gay and … / June 1, 2004, edition 1 / Page 19
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'*^Ww.unc.edu/ glbtsa/Iambda OPINION Virtuous? Woman A critique of two articles from the campus publication Virtuous Woman By Nicholas Shepard Occasionally, LAMBDA chooses to respond to homophobic attacks from other campus publica- bons. Virtuous Woman, a UNC Christian women’s ^^^gazine “initiated by a Godly vision, created through a Christ-like love,” printed an article titled Election of Openly Gay Bishop Strikes Contro- Versy” by Laurie Beck in fall 2003. Being a fairly alanced piece on the ordination of the Rev. V. . ^gene Robinson in the Episcopalian Church, an ’ : Y ^^*^or’s Note was needed to ensure that any of 5 *rtuous Woman’s readers in danger of thinking 1 ■ her or himself thought twice: “No matter what A ^ay think or believe, God clearly says that ho- ^ *^®sexuality is a sin.” This embarrassingly obvious 1 ^^^st language in a “women’s” publication served j! ^mply t-Q ajjy dialogue on the subject, t! ^hng the old favorite, “Adam and Eve, not Adam t Steve” and the story of Sodom and Gomor- ,: the note rehashes familiar, thinly-masked mes- 5 ^^ges of hate, propped up by out-of-context Bible ^^tses and “common sense” homophobic rubbish, tesponse to the unvirtuous who might claim \\ j you can’t help what you feel,” the Virtuous editor *. /*^**'^^ us, “God says that there is nothing — no I Ev ~ cannot be overcome through Jesus.” cr heard of the notoriously ineffective “ex-gay” s which attempt to recruit gay and lesbian { ^stians back into the heterosexual flock? ^ Wo UNC Christians quoted in the article would Necessarily oppose the ordination of a gay man jUot “working around” same-sex desire, but he “li^^*^ Ee “practicing,” “living with a gay” and is ^ Eobinson’s problem 11^^^*^ Eis deep-seated internal desire to love and With another man but his affirmation of that our^^^ words, so long as we acknowledge > th ^,^^^'8®Nder attractions as afflictions to cure, ^ de problem — self-hatred, repression and ^ couf^ deepest feelings is the most Christian jjg action. However, if we refuse to live a da away at our souls and requires a fun- (^ud un-Christian?) dishonesty, we are is perverse sinners. If Virtuous Woman I w ^ “created through a Christ-like love,” the “godly” publication to follow Je- exactly what He said about ^ A nothing. Nother article by Rachel Johnson titled “Fear lessly Feminine: Feminism According to God’s Standards” discusses a book called “Fearlessly Feminine” by Jani Ortlund. Despite Johnson’s useful critique of a femininity based on material ism and superficial beauty standards, the alterna tive “virtuous Christian” model of femininity she proposes is as anti-feminist as anything Virtuous Woman proposes. Johnson notes, citing Ortlund: “God calls us to be servants and to be a servant is a scary thing.” Johnson assures us that servitude doesn’t mean “fiUpngl the June Cleaver role of the ever-dutifiil homemaker” but to “serve God in ev ery way possible in whatever [women] do.” One “feminist” cited, Amy Carmichael, is praised for having “made her life a statement of affirmation — affirmation that God is in control, and that she puts her life in His hands.” According to Johnson, this is “the foundation of femininity.” Call me radical, but as I understand it feminism is a struggle for equality between men and women where neither women nor men are forced into a specific role based solely upon their sex. If women must be “servants” and “affirm, receive, and nur ture strength and leadership from worthy men,” I don’t see much room for equality. The idea that a maturely feminine woman must “put her Power- case] life in His [uppercase] hands” indicates the fundamentally patriarchal, anti-feminist nature of this femininity. If a woman’s lack of control — sub mission — is, as Johnson explicitly states, the very “foundation of femininity,” then I’d argue that an authentic feminism should argue for the abolition of femininity. Equality between people, male or female, should be based on a fundamental respect for hu man dignity rather than constricting gender roles based around female submission. Purporting to focus “on inspiring and encour aging women of faith to grow, and become all that God has called them to be,” Virtuous Woman ac tually does little to inspire genuine growth or ac ceptance of the full range of human sexuality. If Virtuous Woman truly intends “not to condemn,” then they certainly have not yet fully embraced what th^ are called to be. Content Editor and sophomore Nicholas Shepard, a history mepor from Raleigh, N.C, can be contacted at lambda@,unc.edu. Citing the old favorite, **Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve** and the story of Sodom and Qomorrah, the note rehashes familiar, thinly- masked mes sages of hate, propped up by out-of-content Bible verses.
Lambda (Carolina Gay and Lesbian Association, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
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June 1, 2004, edition 1
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