I am not a Christian Feminist

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I am not a Christian feminist
(Naomi Green - member of St. Columbs)

I am a Christian and I am also a feminist, but I don't like the term Christian feminist.

I have thought about whether I’d prefer the term feminist Christian, but that doesn't feel right, either.

I believe in the inherent value and dignity of a woman as a human being first, and I believe justice is treating each other with the acknowledgement of that worth and dignity, and that I feel as if “feminist” is an accurate enough description of those beliefs.

I also choose to identify as a feminist as a kind of “comradery” with other feminists, as a way of saying, “I support what you're trying to achieve.”

I feel as if choosing not to identify as a feminist is saying, “Yeah, I believe in the same things feminists do about the inherent value of women and how they should be treated, but I don't want to be associated with the movement because the word embarrasses me, or I somehow think I'm better or more reasonable than the stereotype of a feminist, or because I don't want to be target of the hate and criticism that feminists receive.”

I decided I didn't want to make that kind of statement, so I choose to adopt the label. Other people might have their own reasons for using or not using the label, and I respect that as well, but this is my reason.

But I wear the term lightly because feminism is not actually my driving motivation.

Following Christ’s teaching and example is.

I don't like the term Christian feminist because it implies that feminist is who I am and Christian is the kind of feminist I am.

But feminist Christian doesn't really work either because that implies that my Christianity is informed by my feminism.

Feminism doesn't inform my Christianity. My Christianity informs my feminism. What I said before about the inherent dignity of women as human beings first?

That's not my feminist beliefs. That's my Christian beliefs.

It is also my Christian beliefs that have lead me to the conclusion that seeking equality of the sexes is not an ambitious enough goal. I believe that all humans reflect the image of the living God, and that tells me we should treat each other with reverent love and respect, and behave justly towards each other with that view in mind. If everyone lived that premise faithfully, (and I don’t always live it myself), it’d make the strive for equality redundant.