JourneyOnline
Women and men should be in equal partnership
I read in the July Journey about the proposal for the Uniting Church Adult Fellowship to encourage “participation from all cultural groups in women’s fellowships” (“Multicultural women’s fellowships proposed”, page 19). I certainly agree that as a church we should be actively encouraging the involvement of all cultural groups in our churches but I am concerned that we have moved back to the position that existed before union.
When the Uniting Church began it was one of its strengths that no one could be excluded from a fellowship group because of their sex or race. We were to be an inclusive church, but gradually over the years we have moved away from this ideal and women’s groups and men’s groups have slipped back into our churches.
We need both women and men to work together and be in equal partnership to bridge the cultural divide. Setting up single-sex organisations just perpetuates existing power bases and makes us more irrelevant to the rest of the community.
Heather Blake
Ashgrove
All letters must directly address articles and letters from the previous month’s edition of Journey. Opinions expressed are only indicative of the individual writer, not their entire congregation. While direct responses to letters are acceptable, ongoing discussions about an article more than two months old will not be published.
Full submission guidelines for letters to the editor can be found at journeyonline.com.au/submit
I write as a spiritual seeker recently reconnecting with church after a long absence. I agree with Heather Blake’s letter (Journey – August 2015). I too am opposed to the idea of single sex groups. The church should be about breaking and challenging gender barriers and sexist stereotypes, not creating and reinforcing them.
It makes for a far healthier, progressive and inclusive environment when the sexes mix and relate freely as equals and unique individuals not categorized and divided by attributes such as gender.
As a man who does not fit the typical male stereotype, I feel very uncomfortable and offended when people make gender based assumptions about me. I am tired of people constantly trying to draft me into men’s groups.