why i still use the "f" word

It's amazing how bad of a reputation Feminism has gotten over the years. You tell people you're a Feminist and they respond as if you just told them you have leprosy. And there's no place that's more unpopular to be a feminist than at church. Or Christian school, as I found out the hard way. Because now I'm all of a sudden lumped in with "man haters" and "baby killers" and "feminazis" and well, I like men and I'm fond of babies and I'd rather not be associated with any word that ends in Nazi.  

But despite how unpopular it might be, I still call myself a feminist because that's who I am. And I have been for a long time. And I can't just stop calling myself a feminist because I'm worried about what people might think.  There are a wide range of feminist thoughts and opinions because (guess what?) not all feminists share a brain. And there are some feminists who affirm everything I believe and there are some feminists who I can barely find any common ground with. But just because there are feminists out there who I don't agree with, does that mean I shouldn't call myself one?

What if I did that with Christianity? What if I just stopped calling myself a Christian because there are groups of Christians who stand for things that I don't and protest things that I won't and align themselves with issues that I want absolutely nothing to do with? I can't just denounce Christianity as a whole because there are certain people who claim to be Christians who do things I don't agree with...including falling short when it comes to the equal treatment of women.

I'm not a feminist in spite of being a Christian. I'm a feminist because I'm a Christian. I am fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of a God who loves me deeply. Who loves all people deeply. And equally. 

So yes, I believe that women are equal to men and should be treated as equals. I think women should be celebrated and respected, and not held to double standards, objectified, or dismissed. I love being a woman, but I didn't always think that way. Growing up, in the back of my mind, I couldn't really think of any reason why being a girl was a good thing. It breaks my heart that even as a child, I believed the lies that my gender meant I was less than.

But I serve a God who is greater than the lies of this world. And it was my faith that redeemed those thoughts of not feeling worthy because of my gender. It was God who affirmed my belief that I am precious in His eyes. It is the grace of Jesus Christ that gives me the hope that I will one day live in a world where I can truthfully and without reservation tell my future daughters and nieces and granddaughters that they can, in fact, be anything they want to be.

That doesn't sound that extreme to me. And maybe you believe some of those same things, but you don't call yourself a feminist. And maybe you believe some of those same things, but you don't call yourself a Christian. And that's OK because there is room for all of us. My feminism does not take away from my Christianity. My Christianity does not take away from my feminism. So I am proud to say that I'm a Christian. And because of that, I'm proud to say that I'm a feminist.

Today I'm linking up with the Feminist Odyssey Blog Carnival hosted this month by from two to one. Click over to read the stories of others who share their unique views on feminism and faith. If you are visiting here from the Blog Carnival, then Welcome to my blog! Please let me know you stopped by and I hope you stick around for awhile.