Posted on: March 19th, 2012 Gender & Sex: Femininism
First, a couple of notes.
1. One can hear the audio recording of the beginning of this class (most of which is actually a review of the previous class on Ancient Near Eastern Sex Practices & Regulations), here.
2. The reason I chose to talk about feminism in a Christian Formation class: it can serve as a precedent for talking about same sex marriage type issues. That is, feminism is basically a discussion we have already had in our culture. I think that the Church in the main “dropped the ball” in that discussion (mainly simply by not engaging). Not only is it useful to review previous public debates about sex & gender as a precedent, but (particularly when it comes to the “third wave” of feminism) the issues in both “debates” are very similar.
Sex & Gender in Bible, World, & Church
Christ Church Christian Formation Class
“Feminism”
Sun, March 18, 2012
The Rev. Matt Boulter
I. First Wave.
- A. Representative Figure: Dorothy Sayers (Are Women Human?).
- B. Main cause / agenda: basic recognition that women are not property.
- C. Example: suffrage.
II. Second Wave.
- A. Representative Figure: Gloria Steinem.
- B. Main cause / agenda: Political Organization into a Movement-based “Special Interest Group.” (Note: this might have much to do with the rise of electronic media in the 20th century.)
- C. Example: the Equal Rights Amendment.
III. Third Wave: Pushing the View that Gender is Constructed.
- Representative Figure: Judith Butler (Gender Trouble).
- Main cause / agenda: to promote the view that gender (identity) is constructed socially and linguistically.
- Example: the rise of widespread acceptance of trans-gender as a viable and healthy “lifestyle choice.”
Q: what is right about this view?
Q: Construction vs. Abstraction and the role of language in culture making.
“Assymetrical Reciprocity?” Discussion.
