Resistance Is Necessary

I have 3 women in my life and -as one of them turns 18 — I am proud of all of them. They are all what a woman should be. If I think about my family, there are more women, including my sister, an ex-sister-in-law and 4 nieces. As the 18 year old sang in a choir this morning, bought a Unicorn something from Starbucks, and just played basketball, I thought “that’s what a girl or woman should be.

Here’s an actual list of things the women I know are:

A pastor

A social worker

A student

A professor

A great blues/soul/rock singer

A basketball player

A tennis player 

On tech crew for drama and music

A mother

A daughter

College bound

In college

In addition to jobs, they are all:

Capable of making choices

Responsible for their own bodies and what happens with them

At times, in a dangerous world, but safe at home (I think, for all of them.

Smart

Funny

Sarcastic

Kind

Not kind at all sometimes

Overworked

Maybe underpaid 

Sexual

Not sexual

Wants children

Doesn’t want children 

Happy

Sad

A hippie

Christian

Atheist

Deeply faithful
Not as deeply faithful

Of no faith at all

All of them: 

like diversity in their friends

Care for the outsider and oppressed

Have their own opinions

Have their own interests

Are right often

Make mistakes as well

Are who they are
And for the most part, all I have to do is let them be that. Sometimes I have to remind them of who they are and what they can be — how many options they have. i don’t know if that makes me a feminist or not, laissez-faire or concerned enough, but I do believe that any woman on earth ought to be anything on this list. Am I imposing my opinion on the world? I suppose I am. I plan to continue with that.

Resisting with Peace,
John