Your experience as a man, as a woman in the JWs...

Country Girl

I was wondering today. My own experience with the JW's started when I was 3 years old. At 8, I began to experience the misogynystical attitude that characterized being a JW woman, and was really adverse to it. It never seemed that God loved us, women, very much. We weren't allowed to give talks, we had to wear napkins on our heads, we had to be in complete submission to the "heads" of our households, had to bear them children or NOT, yet we were made in his image! How could a God that made us in his image, totally ignore what we were to him? If we were made in his image, too, equally, we would be just as "heard." This

Skeptic

Good post, CG.

The sexist attitudes are not just JW in origin. The Bible is rife with sexism, with woman being portrayed as inferior to men.

The Bible is not a book from God, but mere a book of men, reflecting the values of their generation.

Thankfully, we have progressed beyond such debasing values.

heathen

I wouldn't blame the bible or God . I think it's peoples mindset on the issue . The bible says do unto others as you would have others do unto you and it does include women . If I were a woman I would be greatful that I didn't have to be as accountable as the men .

Frannie Banannie

Yup, as JW women, we were treated like big steamin' meadow muffins....to be sniffed at, ridiculed (even from the platform), stepped over (or ON as the case may be) and either scraped off the JW men's shoes or ignored as offal (awful).....rarely they "made nice" from the platform about women's standing in the congregation, but that was just so much b.s.

Frannie B

Victorian sky

Interesting CG, I had an elder admit to me that women were treated like second class citizens in the borg and that's when I realized that some brothers hated the society's view of women and of course most were all for it. What I resented most was the constant 'don't be like Jezebel' - she was a murderer and a whore, I didn't know any sister that came close to that description. There was zero emphasis on the strong women of bible times like Deborah, think she was a judge or a prophetess. We barely heard a peep about her, yet Jezebel was mentioned over and over again. The environment the borg has created breeds men who are weak and women who may never know their true potential. I feel sorry for them. - V Sky

jonnyboy23

You're all pretty right. My little brother's (still goes to meetings -- I see the light so I don't) wedding was a prime example. I took my "worldly" girlfriend (then of 3 years) and she was in shock. The speaker at his wedding went ON AND ON AND ON about how the man is the head of the household and a woman should submit to the man and give the marital dues, etc. It was amazing how different it sounds once you're not brainwashed. I looked around and saw all these witness women nodding in agreement -- are they f-ing nuts??

My GF about slapped the piss out of this guy. Nevertheless, like most witness fuctions it was a dry reception for fear of stumbling someone (not that half the people aren't closet alcoholics anyway), so I left, got some beer and started a party for my little bro!!

I regret every minute of being a witness. Every minute. The only thing that ever came out of it was a headache. I lost all my friends to disfellowshipping (still my BEST friends to date) and suffered constant "meetings" about who saw me with one of them last week. The only witness friends I still have don't go to meetings.

I never got baptized so I couldn't get disfellowshipped, but i'm looked down upon. To them, nothing is more important than meetings and field service time. Who actually put in 10 hours? We all sat around on "break" and recorded time. I used to drop off like 20 mags at a laundromat and go home.

Most all of those people live a lie. They say and do things when no one's around.

Want to know if you're in the right religion? Ask yourself this:
"When is the last time that I went to meeting or out in field service because I WANTED TO GO, not because it's forced or expected or because I would be looked down upon for not doing it. When's the last time I did it because I WANTED TO."

I answered "Once, when i was six".

Thanks for listening...

frenchbabyface

SixofNine

As a man-with-a-beard in the congregation, for six years I was more woman than any of you women will ever be!

reubenfine

That's sick, man, but I'm sure you're more of a woman than me.

Pistoff

As a man, I objected to the way women were treated and were not able to have the same goodies as men: no time with the CO (ok bad example depending on the CO) etc. Good friend of mine (elder with kids in bethel) last year when I said that I abhorred the islamist view of women: "Oh, don't go all Alan Alda on us now!" Same brother who made racist jokes about a black brother he borrowed a van from. Go figure. The men are treated as if they are one raging hormone; the women are supposed to dress modestly, lest some have improper thoughts!! That truly is a similarity to radical islam!

Your experience as a man, as a woman in the JWs...

Share this