Something has been eating at me lately. The topic on my mind is not the easiest thing to talk about, and may be met with anger by many. I am not here to point fingers, not here to belittle anyone, not here to cause fights, not here to make enemies. However, I am here to make us reflect on the norms of today, and to bring awareness - if you will - to this subject. Let me start this off by saying this: I am a woman.
Women have had a long road of trying to become equal to men, or to be more equal in status in the work force. While this may be great in some aspects, we as women have taken this equality a little too far in some very hurtful ways. Please, just hear me out.
We have some very sexist phrases and/or remarks about men, and I feel like this is degrading to them, and can be very harmful to the man God had created. Men were made to be our protectors and providers (apart from God of course.). Let me give you examples of these sayings, and tell you why I think they are harmful.
Women really do rule the world. They just haven’t figured it out yet. When they do, and they will, we’re all in big big trouble. - Anonymous
Let me just set this one straight, we do not rule the world. We never have, and we never will. While we play a very important role in the world, we would not be here with God and men. 'So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.' - Genesis 1:27 ESV 'For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!' Psalm 47:7 ESV
Basically, all women are nurturers and healers, and all men are mental patients to varying degrees. -Nelson DeMille
Ouch. That one is not entirely true. The first part is right, for the most part...but really, men are not mental patients. Not in the slightest. God created women to be mothers, and gave us our motherly instincts of nurturing. However, men are not stupid or mental. How do we expect to encourage one another to grow and better ourselves if we put each other in a negative light? 'Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.' 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Women are always right. -Unknown
We most certainly are not always right, I will be the first to admit that. If we were always right, then why are men in the majority of leadership positions; for example, the President? We do have very good ideas, but men do as well. 'I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.' 1 Timothy 2:12
Men never remember, but women never forget. -Anonymous
Except this is not true in the least bit. Men DO remember. Also, women DO forget. I forget things all the time, even when it comes to relationships. This saying would be more correct if it said that we hold on to things longer, because we are more emotional. It is not that men forget things that upset us, but rather that they do not perceive the issue as emotionally as we do. If they have a problem, they will talk about it, as I think we need to do better with. Nobody can read minds, and women (or at least I think I do) tend to think men know what is bothering us. This is not true. We cannot read their minds, nor can they read ours. 'Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.' Ephesians 4:25
Sure God created man before woman, but then again you always make a rough draft before creating the final masterpiece. -Anonymous
This statement is just plain awful. Who are women to think that men are equal to a rough draft, or in other words a mistake? 'And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.' Genesis 1:31 See, God said everything was good, not man was a mistake and women are better...women were created to be man's partner.
A woman has the last word in any argument. Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument. -Anonymous
Only in a relationship where a women is trying to be mentally controlling, sure. Men, like women, have a right to speak their minds and be heard. We are not superior in that aspect. 'Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.' Ephesians 5:21
A woman’s faults are many. Men have only two, everything they say and everything they do. -Anonymous
Wow...this one is completely wrong. Just because women might not agree with men does not mean that they are wrong. Women should not put themselves on this high and almighty pedestal that we have ourselves on. 'Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.' 1 Peter 5:6-7. We are not men's equals, we fell at creation. It was us that ate the fruit before man did. This is what caused women to no longer be man's equal. 'For Adam was formed first, then Eve;' 1 Timothy 2:13 'How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure?' Job 25:4
As woman, we should strive to find ways to build the opposite gender up, instead of finding ways to belittle them. We are not equal, and never will be, but we do play a very important part in life together with our fellow men. Women should stop trying to put themselves on a pedestal over men, and actually try to be more gentle to everyone. I hate to think of the way men feel about what we are saying about them, it makes me feel disappointed and discouraged...like a sinking feeling inside. I personally want to try and make people feel like they are important, not like dirt. I am not perfect, nor do I claim to be in any way...in fact I am far from that. So let us go and build up our fellow man and woman and make the people around us feel loved and wanted. Let's treat each other the way that we want to be treated, and love each other while we do that.
*Disclaimer: These are only a few saying that I wanted to talk about. What I have had to say here is my opinion, and is not meant to degrade either men or woman. Just an honest conversation about my feelings on this subject. Thank you for listening.*