Lin

“Thank you Cheryl, especially for indulging the sidebar. I always feel like we are just not quite in the right post to really get into this, so I will say no more. I know we are all saying 95% the same thing. I suspect the other 5% are just sore spots for each of us that get our dander up. I know that is the case for me – that any inkling toward a “sameness” philosophy gets me in a lather (and I know you aren’t saying that Paula, but that is what I “hear”). ”

I am so glad you said this here. I think your last line is very important. I hear this all the time about ‘sameness’ and blurring of the lines of gender and how scary it all is.

I have another view which I ask you to respectfully consider. But first, let’s look at gender differences from categories:

Physical/Biological
Major differences by design!

Emotional, Intellectual, Spiritual
What are the differences? And are they nature or nurture.

One of the problems I have with those who are scared we are blurring the lines or arguing sameness (biologically-NEVER!) is that they are attempting to put me in a box. A pink box of frilly bows. I could never relate to the ‘women’ chapters in comp books. I could relate to the men chapters, though. For that, I was considered, rebellious and a feminist. I would rather debate theology than talk about recipes. I would rather learn how to fix a car than learn to cook. I would rather play golf with the guys than go have my nails done. I despise shopping.

So by focusing on ‘differences’ outside of those that are biological, we can do great damage to each other.

I will give you another example of the damage this can do. Years back I worked on several projects with Love Won Out. These are former homosexuals who speak out on being delivered. The story lines were very similar. Many of the men when young boys were artistically endowed. But that did not fit the paradigm for them from their familes, r their church. They were put in the ‘masculine box’ and became easy prey for those that ‘understood’ them better. It took them years to figure all this out and leave that horrible lifestyle only by the Grace of the Lord. (The women had similar stories)

On a humorous note, I doubt that Dobson had my thoughts in mind when he started Love Won Out. But I saw this gender box theme in their tesitmony’s even though they did not intend that.

We can do great damage with gender differences that go beyond the biological. It serves to demean talents and block the exercising of spiritual gifts.