Women's Role

loveneverfails

So as you can see this is my first post here...it's going to sound a bit jumbled I'm sure.

I stopped going to meetings exactly a year ago primarily due to my realization of my role as a "woman" (well I'm 22 but anyway..). To me, being a JW woman means a life as a subserviant housewife who can make no decisions and can only excel by pioneering. I realized that's the way the whole bible is...totally male-dominant. I like the way the society throws in statements about how a fine husband will take his wife's view into account, even though he makes the final decision. I'd rather rule in hell than serve in heaven...or serve men for life I should say.

Mysterious

Definitely agree with you there. As a kid I couldn't imagine what good reason there was that girls could not carry mics or be sound attendants but boys could. Paul spoke of women teaching in the congregation not serving in other capacities! Even so I think Paul's opinion was more relevant from his cultural standpoint than our modern society. I always thought it was utter crap when someone would try to tell me how progressive the society was with having women at bethel (if they were married) etc.

Finally-Free

Are JW women really subservient? In my hall most of the elders were dominated by their wives. If you wanted something done you told an elders wife, and she'd light a fire under his ass.

Welcome to the board!

W

loveneverfails

I agree that the mics issue is ridiculous. That reminds me of the time I got to watch a fire alarm at a convention once because there were not enough men to do it. Like you said, how progressive...

Finally-Free

That reminds me of the time I got to watch a fire alarm at a convention once because there were not enough men to do it.

Did they make you put a kleenex on your head to show your submission?

W

Abandoned

Welcome to the forum and congrats on escaping the cult of the small minds.

bernadette

Good for you. You have your whole life ahead of you. Seize the day

Mysterious

Are JW women really subservient? In my hall most of the elders were dominated by their wives. If you wanted something done you told an elders wife, and she'd light a fire under his ass.

It reminds me of the movie my big fat greek wedding where the mother said that the man may be the head of the household but the woman is the neck and she can turn the head in any direction she chooses.

Carmel

Head of household was merely a phalic status! You're right though! The JW posture toward the women was one of my reasons for challenging and questioning, which eventually got me in hot water. carmel

merfi

Hi loveneverfails! Welcome!

This issue was big with me, also. I was ok in the eyes of the mysogynist elders while married, but as soon as I kicked out the ex and was an independent woman, holy hell... They were crawling up my ass for every little thing. Skirts to short (hem at the knees even when sitting?!?), slits too short, sweater too low (like I have any cleaveage ), jeep impractical (they hated it, I think, when I'd drive up for meetings with the top and doors off) blah blah blah and so on. I held down a full-time job and was raising three kids on my own; I didn't need to be hired by the elders' family janitorial business to make ends meet. I didn't call the 'brothers' if my household stuff broke; I fixed it myself. I didn't NEED them and I think that bugged the crap out of them. I didn't fit the 'mold' that the WT made for the submissive, subserviant and second-class female. It was somewhat also the reason I left; I was tired of being treated like dirt and most of the treatment was because of my gender.

Freedom is nice.

~merfi

Women's Role

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