100 days – Day 28

100 days – Day 28: Sexism

 

I’m not really au fait with what has been happening in English Football, and especially with what Richard Scudamore, the Premier League chief executive, has been up to.

Apparently, he sent sexist emails  from his computer at work.  His “jokes” and remarks about a female colleague were leaked to a downmarket newspaper by his PA, who has gone on to say (after it was decided not to censure nor fire Scudamore) –  “It sends out a very damaging message as to how women are regarded in football and in the workplace in general. It shows we still have to go a very long way before women are treated equally”

 

 

Prime Minister, David Cameron, speaking on the BBC,  indicated that his own ministers would not have survived had they written something similar.

The Football Association’s inclusion board is due to meet today(20 May) to consider whether the game’s governing body should reverse its decision not to get involved.

 

–ooOOoo–

 

An Australian dictionary has changed its definition of misogyny to reflect the fact that it is now used to mean ‘entrenched prejudice against women’, not just hatred of them

There is something intrinsically wrong about men who belittle women.  It’s not just prejudice; it’s fear born out of weakness.  These aren’t “big men”; they are wimps, no matter how macho they pretend to be.

The classic example is the behaviour of certain fundamentalist Islamic countries towards the female population.  Hard-line Muslims who have adopted Sharia Law seek to subjugate and marginalize woman in their society.

Recently, Brunei adopted Sharia Law.

Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, in a press briefing in Geneva last month, said this: “A number of UN studies have revealed that women are more likely to be sentenced to death by stoning, due to deeply entrenched discrimination and stereotyping against them.”

Then we have the case of Dr Mariam Yahya Ibrahim in Sudan.  Mariam’s father was a Muslim, but, after he left his wife, who was a Christian, Mariam was brought up by her mother in that Faith.

Having been born in Sudan, she is considered a Muslim by birth, and has been sentenced to death for  marrying her Christian husband.  The punishment – stoning to death -will be carried out after her second child is born.

Or let’s think about our dear allies in Saudi Arabia:

In Saudi Arabia, women face several restrictions based entirely on gender.Women are not allowed to drive – only men.   A woman, regardless of age or marital status is required to have a male guardian. Her guardian may be her father, her husband, her uncle, her brother, or even her own son.

A woman cannot travel, attend university, work, or marry without her guardian’s permission. In some cases, although the law doesn’t support the practice, a woman cannot receive major medical treatment without the permission of her guardian.

 –ooOOoo–

Now, before this becomes a just a catalogue of misogyny in Islam (“the Religion of peace”!!!), let’s pause and think of nearer to home.

Yesterday,at the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, being held in Edinburgh, reference was made to the fact that the immediate past Moderator, the Very Rev Lorna Hood, was told that, because she was a woman, she would not be welcome in certain pulpits in the Isle of Skye.  She “was restricted to three parishes at the top of the island” because of her gender.

A former Moderator, David Lacy, claimed people who thought they could stop the Kirk’s moderator from speaking inside a church because she was a woman were “oddballs” and ” grumbling grunters”, accusing those who discriminated of “antiquated gangsterism”

Well, here are some of the comments made about this – from today’s online Scotsman:

Presbyter Ian

10:44 PM on 19/05/2014

The Headline might also be: “Former Moderator defies My law, says everlasting God”. The C of S leaders are not only defying Scripture but are letting our members and adherents down too. Meanwhile, the true-to-name present-day Disruption Free Kirk are parading the country with pretty PowerPoint presentations, sweeping up the disaffected Ministers and Members who are walking into a denomination which once was spiritually respected in Scotland but which has recently seen Ministers break ordination vows, introduce entertainment to their services and even have a deceptive full page April Fool on their web site – all nice socially attractive material just to pave the way for this very Disruptive scenario. It is somewhat humanly clever on their part and I’m sure not all of their Ministers and members are in on the plot (I don’t think a Holy God will bless such behaviour) but ….. waken up C of S before more ministers and members desert the Kirk and leave behind those who probably need the Gospel preached more than those who leave. It’s the hireling who flees in times of trouble the Scripture says!

ScotlandIsBritish

6:40 PM on 19/05/2014

Sorry Sir,

The Word of God makes it very clear that women are to keep silent in the churches – they are not to speak or tu usurp the man.

There is no such thing as a true woman elder or minister.

 

Jjajja

8:04 AM on 20/05/2014

I do wish these so called Ministers in the Kirk would spend time reading, studying and considering the Bible as it’s very obvious what God has ordained. God has ordained that only men are to serve in positions of spiritual teaching authority in the church. This is not because men are necessarily better teachers, or because women are inferior or less intelligent (which is not the case). It is simply the way God designed the church to function. Men are to set the example in spiritual leadership—in their lives and through their words. Women are to take a less authoritative role. Women are encouraged to teach other women (Titus 2:3-5). The Bible also does not restrict women from teaching children. The only activity women are restricted from is teaching or having spiritual authority over men. This logically would preclude women from serving as pastors to men and being Elders in the Church. This does not make women less important, by any means, but rather gives them a ministry focus more in agreement with God’s plan and His gifting of them

–ooOOoo–

Come on, guys – whether you’re in Saudi or Skye – grow a pair, and enter the 21st century