I'm so growing up

[caramelsilver]

I've officially become a feminist. Like for real. While at camp this week the kids where given an assignment about looking at different pictures of Jesus, and pick their favourite. Then our priest were talking about the pictures and then he said... well, I can't quite explain it in English, but I'll try. He said that he thought all the pictures of Jesus were very femi which is a Norwegian expression, it's short for feminine. And he said this, "I think those pictures are kinda femi." and I couldn't believe my ears! I gave him this incredulous look and kept mouthing "you can't say that! You can't say that!" and he saw my reaction and said, "Caroline, do you have anything to say?" And I said, "You cannot say that!? You can't use femi as a derogatory term. Being feminine is not something that's negative, that's an insult to women and boys who identify with that term!" and the entire room were staring at me.

But he withdrew his statement, and then went on to mock/tease me for the rest of the week. BUT! he checked the way he used those words again.

Comments

[caramelsilver.livejournal.com]

I guess mocking is the wrong word. Gently tease maybe. He really did check his language, it was just... well like we were talking about the two fish and five bread thing and how Jesus fed 5000 men plus women and children and he said "sorry, Caroline that's just how they counted back then." and stuff like that. But he really did later say to me that he was happy that I spoke up and that sometimes he needed people to check him too ;)

I don't know if it's harder to be a feminist in a Christian community... I just suddenly were very aware that I didn't want these teenagers to think like that, and that we do need to check the way we speak early on! And it was just kind of a epiphany for me. Because I've never really thought all that much about my stance on it. But now it's something I really believe in. I think God might have had something to do with it ;)

[zempasuchil.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you two aren't at odds :)

It depends on the church and family in the community, of course; it was silly of me to assume we've had similar experiences there. I like your story a lot. :) and, yes! epiphanies have a lot to do with god, amirite ;)