a letter to the girls | International Women’s Day

This is a letter specifically to women. If you are a man, you are certainly allowed to keep reading, but this is dedicated for my sisters all around the world.

Happy International Women’s Day! 

I am so proud to be a women in my country, where we have the freedom to go to school and have jobs and be mothers and have so many amazing friends supporting us. A lot of countries don’t have that, and I want to be clear that I am so incredibly thankful. 

But now comes my topic for today’s blog post: feminism.

I know that this is a touchy subject, but please don’t get all up in arms until you hear what I have to say. 

First, I think we should define the term feminism, since it can have different meaning for different people and I want to be sure that we’re all clear on this subject. It is very difficult for me to say that I am not a feminist, because people think that by saying that, I am betraying my sex or that I hate women. That is not true. 

I believe that men and women are equal, but I don’t think women should get special treatment for anything. I know that modern feminism can mean a whole bunch of things now, including hating men and pro-choice. I don’t agree with that, so, for me feminism is a philosophy that believes in and advocates equal rights for women and men on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality.

But, as a Christian, feminism goes directly against what the Bible calls. The Bible is clear that men and women are equal in God’s sight—don’t think it doesn’t. It speaks several times about equality for all—no matter their gender, nationality, ethnicity, or race. If you still don’t believe me, look up these verses: 

Ephesians 2:14 

Leviticus 19:33-34

Acts 10:34-35

James 2:1-4

Colossians 3:10-11

Luke 14:13-14

“Feminism is based in arrogance, and it is the opposite of the call to the born-again believer to be a servant.” (see the rest of this article here)

In Philippians 2:3, God calls his people to “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”

Feminism doesn’t do this. Yes, it advocates for equal rights, and I don’t have a problem with that per say. But it’s based on the lie that women have to be the same as men. ‘The same as’ and ‘equal to’ are very different things. Men and women are not the same. That’s a fact. 

Emotionally, physically, and psychologically, we are different. We have different jobs, roles, interests, and we are not identical copies of each other. But we are equal in the sense that God doesn’t look down with a biased view on a certain gender, or that one is better than the other. In the Garden, God created man first, but it wasn’t enough. Man needed a helper, he couldn’t be alone. So God created woman. We were designed to complement man, to make a team. Man was the leader, and woman was the helper. Does that make women less important? Not at all! Helpers are just as important as the leader, and both are desperately needed. But we rebelled and now we aren’t satisfied with the duties given to us. Men don’t want the responsibility of leadership, they want to do their own thing. And women aren’t content with their job as helper—they want to lead.

Feminism is based in women’s pride and their stubbornness to accept what has been given to them.

Why I think our culture is so obsessed with feminism

First of all, why is it such a big deal? Why do we have a problem about it? What is the problem?

I don’t think our issue is about gender equality, I think it’s about submission.

In a world that preaches the message of living for ourselves, the idea of humility and consent is hardly heard.

If men were created second, then culture would be up in arms for this gender. But they’re not, and instead, women are considered the gender that has to allow themselves to be walked over. 

My point? It doesn’t matter who you are, or what your gender is, no one likes stepping down. 

But before you raise your hackles, let me define this.

Submission has a negative rep for passivity and docility. We often use the term, “forced into submission”, but that’s not what I want to use here. To me, submission is the act of willingly yielding to someone else’s authority. Because we want to. 

It’s not surrender. It’s not defeat. It’s an act of love. 

Important note: I do not believe it is right for a woman to give herself to a man. To find her identity and happiness and satisfaction in him. Nor do I think we should allow ourselves to be abused and mistreated.

That is not why were created.

We belong to God first and foremost, and He hates to see us hurt and assaulted. This is why He gave man the job of protecting, providing for, and leading us justly. It is their responsibility to take care of their own actions and make sure we are not abused by them.

But when a man loves a woman and does everything he can to defend and treat her respectfully, don’t you think she would want to be cared for? 

MAN AND WOMAN ARE EQUAL

God created it this way, this is right. 

Yes, we both have different jobs to do.

Yes, we are different emotional, physically, and psychologically.

Yes, we can have difficulties understanding the opposite sex.

But we are equal.

The belief the woman are better than men is false.

And so is the belief the men are better than women.

But on International Women’s Day, I believe it is very easy for us as women to get up in arms for each other and try to prove something. Whether it’s that we can do anything men can, or that we are better in a certain area, or that we’re just as capable, I don’t know. But it’s crazy. I understand that women need a voice in certain countries, but we don’t need to take it to the extreme and start campaigning in cases like A Day Without Women. (see website here) 

And as one of my good friends said: “The idea behind this, at its core, is selfishness. "I'm not getting my way, so I'm going to scream and cry about it (Women's March in January) and then go hide in my room and sulk. Is that not one of the most immature things you can possibly do? Stop acting like a whiney brat and contribute to society. Hiding away and "teaching those horrible men a lesson" won't fix anything.” (I highly recommend you read her post about this here)

By stubbornly refusing to work on a certain day just so the world could realize just how much they need women, women are giving themselves a bad rep and failing in their duty to each other. What if, instead, women got together to help other women? To assist the needy and the homeless and those without a voice? Instead of fighting for themselves, they would be fighting for each other. They would be contributing to the greater good, and our society. That would be a stand. 

WOMEN AND MEN ARE DIFFERENT

We have different roles, we have different psychological and physical makeup, we have different interests, and guess what? That’s okay. The world could not run only on women. Neither could it with men. We need each other. We need to accept that need. And we must work together to actively make the world better, not hide away and remove ourselves from the situation.  

Again, that same friend I mentioned before said this: “Taking yourself out of the equation won't solve your problems. Teaching men a lesson on what it's like without you won't solve your problems. In fact, all it shows is that you're too selfish and self-centred to actually make a positive difference in the world…The rest of us women will keep giving to others and being compassionate so we can make a positive change in the world.” 

Isn’t that amazing? Us women have the opportunity here to make a stand, to help society and those in need, and to be proud of our womanhood. That’s what it is to be a woman. Not to try make men and society see how terrible life would be without us. Because we need each other. Accept that.

Be proud of your womanhood—your femininity and your gender. That’s who we were created to be and it’s spectacular. Celebrate it.

Galatians 5:13 | "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

~soleil