A Face, A Voice

I have a doll in my office, purchased from a gift shop in an Indiana community. She has no face. I understand that is a matter of conscience to the makers of such dolls. But while I respect what the doll represents as a part of my heritage, she also stirs some negative feelings in me. There are many reasons why some citizens of the world are disenfranchised. They have no face and no voice. It is sad to me that in many spheres of life, being a woman or a child is enough to marginalize one.

An interview I was reading recently included the familiar line, “I am woman, hear me roar.” That is the title of a song (Helen Reddy and Ray Burton) released in its most well-known version in 1972, and it became the “anthem” for the women’s movement. I thought to myself, “I'm not really into roaring. Many of the women I know are not into roaring. So what is it that we really want?”

I am woman—
Hear me dream out loud. I have creative ideas. I want to try them out.
Hear me make decisions. And yes, I will take responsibility for what happens next.
Hear me voice my opinions—even when we don’t agree.
Hear me offer suggestions.
Hear me sing and pray—and perhaps even preach. (God is an EOE.)
Hear me share love, and learning, and life.

I am grateful for the men and women in my everyday world who hear me even though I don’t roar. These are people in positions that often are not woman-friendly. My auto mechanic is always genuinely courteous, disregarding the fact that we both know I am not sure what I’m talking about. My doctor treats me as a whole person, asking me what my feelings are as well as how I feel. My pastor encourages me to participate fully in the faith community, even when that means asking the hard questions. My supervisor respectfully considers my thoughts on how to improve our service. My attorney never minimizes my concerns, but gives me dignity and thoughtful responses. And of course, my “healing” friends are there for me whether I am hopeful or hurting.

I wish such a line-up of supportive people were a part of every woman’s life. While we don’t choose our families, we do choose friends and professional helper-type persons. You deserve to find those who will listen, so keep looking and don’t settle for people who won’t. You have a face and a voice.

Marjorie

(This article was previously published on my other blog, Finding the Faith Way, on August 26, 2008.)