Feminism is a word that carries a lot of weight to it in any circumstance that it is used in.

It is an issue that divides, irritates, confuses, and inspires people around the world. To many, the
definition of Feminism varies across the board. In the article, Defining Feminism: Tumblr, BraBurners, and Beyonce Celia Buckman begins by providing the dictionary definition for
feminism, stating that it is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and
opportunities, (Buckman) continuing on to express her wonder as to how this basic concept has
become so controversial, (Buckman). While others, like author Bell Hooks in the book,
Feminism Is for Everybody, believes that it is more of an open definition, but argues that there
are many things feminism is not by explaining a common misconception, Masses of people
think that feminism is always and only about women seeking to be equal to men. And a huge
majority of these folks think feminism is anti-male, (Hooks, 1). However, in the article,
Feminism and Womanism, author Carmen Mojica views Feminism as something she cannot
identify herself with and declares, Feminism is female-centered and revolves around the
empowerment of the female in a patriarchal society. It also focuses on equality across the board
for men and women (Mojica). In the past month and a half, I began to find my identity in the
world of Feminism, and it was not until I read the article Why You Should Be a Christian
Feminist, by Amy R. Buckley, that I found an answer I could have peace with. Buckley writes
about Biblical Feminism, an ideology that roots itself in the word of God. She states, all humans
male and femalebear the image of God with equal rights and responsibilities. While men
and women differ physiologically, they are made for the purpose of completing each other in a
unity (Genesis 2:24), (Buckley). For me, Feminism is the idea that men and women were
created to complement each other, and while we were made with different strengths and

weaknesses, we are all equal in worth in Gods eyes, and so it is important to fight to be seen as
equal in worth in societys eyes.
While I believe that men and women were created differently, by God, as two pieces that
come together to complete a puzzle, I have never thought one gender superior to the other.
However, not everyone believes this, which results in a lot of conflict between the Church and
the Feminist movement. Ephesians 5:22, Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as
you do to the Lord, is the source of a lot of controversy. Many Feminists and Christians take
this verse out of context, and argue that it is degrading to women, and that it puts men in a place
above women. But in the following verses, Paul, the author of Ephesians, commands husbands
to take care of their wives, and lay down their lives for them if necessary. To me, there is nothing
unequal about the roles in which the Bible commands us to serve. We, as women, should serve
our husbands with love and respect, with the expectation that they will treat us with the same
love and respect in return. I love when Buckley says, domination has no place in Gods created
order. Justice entails interdependent partnering between men and women who have equal access
to gifts of the Spirit (as Providence determines), (Buckley). We are given different but equal
commands and opportunities by our creator, and inequality among men and women is not
something that comes from God.
Feminism cannot be defined by one definition. It is an identity in which each woman
finds herself. I define myself as a daughter of Jesus Christ, and therefore my identity in
Feminism is rooted in the word of God. To me, there has never been a question that my value as
a woman is any less than that of man when it comes to Gods commands, amazing love, and
abounding mercy.

Works Cited
Buckley, Amy R. "Why You Should Be a Christian Feminist." RELEVANT Magazine. N.p., 31
Dec. 2014. Web. 06 Oct. 2016.
Buckman, Celia. "Defining Feminism: Tumblr, Bra-Burners and Beyonc." The Huffington Post.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2016.
Hooks, Bell. "Feminist Politics: Where We Stand." Feminism Is For Everybody. Cambridge:
South End, 2000. 1-6. Print.
Mojica, Carmen. "Feminism and Womanism." Gender Across Borders RSS. N.p., 29 Mar. 2011.
Web. 05 Oct. 2016.