Celebrating WomenWritten by Stella Ramsaroop
After thousands of years of abuse, educational deprivation and being treated like property, women are finally getting opportunity to blossom like beautiful flowers that they are. The entire month of March is dedicated to strength and intelligence of woman. It’s time to stand tall, to dance uninhibitedly and to give a dainty applause to other half of human race. According to a pullout in March 12, 2005 issue of The Washington Post, there are 14 women in U.S. Senate, 65 women in U.S. House of Representatives and four women serving U.S. Cabinet. There are also eight women serving as Governors. I’d say that women are finally having a say in world. The whole “hand that rocks cradle” thing is nice, but it’s also just a phrase used to pacify demand of woman to be an equal voice of reason concerning decisions that effect her. The pullout also said that one of every four doctors in America today are women, and that number will be growing soon with half of all medical students being female. It’s about time we got recognized for something more than just beauty. The beauty of women has long been acknowledged. However, by giving a woman recognition for just shallow shell of a fading attribute and no more is just as demeaning as giving her no recognition at all. Though many men still find it hard to reconcile beauty and intelligence in same female, there is no doubt at all that women will soon be on equal par with their male counterparts – in relationships and in office. We’ve sure come a long way baby, but we still have such a long way to go. The same Washington Post pullout, which was created and edited by women, termed their section, “A Few Who Made a Difference.” This celebration of women has become a spotlight for just exceptional women - doctors, legislators and activists. What about everyday Jane? She is just as spectacular as a Susan B. Anthony or a Mae Jemison. We should be celebrating all women. We should be celebrating stay-at-home moms and women working at local Wal-Mart too.
| | Women as Catholic Priests: The Time for Change is NowWritten by Stella Ramsaroop
In ancient Rome, cradle of democracy, women had no rights. Their place was in home under custody and control of master of house, which would often be husband or father. Her job was to take care of house and family. She had no vote, could not govern, nor even conduct her own affairs without oversight of a man. These are actions viewed as crude and uncivilized by today’s standards. However, even during these primitive times of democracy women were still allowed to be priestesses in Rome. The Vestal Virgins were honored and revered by men and women alike for their years of sacrifice and service to Goddess Vesta. So how is it that over two thousand years later, Catholic Church still refuses to ordain women for service in Church as priests? Admittedly, it has been only very recently that most of humanity has decided to allow women privilege of being acknowledge as an equal with men. In fact, it is only within last century that American women have been allowed to vote or hold a political position. However, during this time women’s rights have made significant advances. Women now work outside house, hold political office – even at a national level, have ready access to equal education, and yes, they even conduct religious services in many religions. Even Jewish congregations have women serving as rabbis. In fact, a woman was recently selected to replace retiring male rabbi of a conservative congregation with over 500 families. This is a first for Conservative Judaism, which ordained its first female rabbi in 1985. I have utmost respect for Scripture and its importance in society, so I do recognize passage from Apostle Paul requiring women to be silent in churches and saying it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church. Paul instructs women to wait till they get home to ask their husbands any questions they may have about service. (1 Corinthians 14:33-35) Having acknowledged importance of Scripture, my reverence for Bible, and my knowledge of Paul’s teaching; I now admit that I vehemently disagree with sexism of this passage.
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