Believing Women

Monday, March 30

Readings – DN 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 OR 13:41C-62; JN 8:1-11

We have two readings today of women being accused of something.

In the first reading some men who are elders in their community accuse Susanna of an illicit sexual encounter to cover their own inappropriate sexual behavior.  They’re even willing to have her stoned, and were it not for Daniel having the courage to speak up and offer counter-testimony, she would have been.

Then in the gospel, a woman is brought before Jesus because she was allegedly ‘caught in adultery’ and the religious leaders ask Jesus if she should be stoned ‘according to the law’ (the same law that applied in the reading from Daniel).  Jesus invites the person without sin to cast the first stone, and no one does.  Jesus then asks if no one is left to condemn her, and she says, “No one.”  He does not either.

It’s no secret that patriarchy, sexism and misogyny have been rampant in our world and have deeply impacted so many lives.  Today’s readings offer glimpses into some of the abuses that have taken place throughout history where men assault the dignity of women (or people who identify as women, queer or non-binary), gaslight them and blame them for things that they didn’t do.  And like the women in these readings, so many of those who identify as women have little to no recourse, know that they will not be believed and suffer a cruel fate.

As I read these readings, I thought back to 2017 when the #metoo movement emerged.  #metoo gained a lot of ground following the Harvey Weinstein revelations in the fall of 2017.  Woman after woman came forward to speak of how he had been inappropriate, forceful, and harrassing.  And then when women all over started posting #metoo because they too had gone through similar experiences, we started seeing the vastness of the situation.  The “me too” idea had actually started 10 years earlier with an African-American woman named Tarana Burke who was an activist working with women who had been abused in NYC.  She started a campaign using the phrase to help women know that they were not alone. 

No doubt the women in the readings today tried to stand up for themselves.  But without allies, this becomes nearly impossible given the nature of how power works.  Daniel and Jesus offer glimpses into what male-identified allies can and need to do, and they should not be the exceptions to the rule.  This needs to become the ‘normal’ and expected response.  Men need to stand up to other men when we hear, see or witness sexism, misogyny and discrimination.

Richard Rohr says that the women’s liberation movement that started in the 1960’s has actually enabled women to become more whole.   But he laments that we have not had a corresponding men’s liberation, and many men have entrenched themselves further into the problem. 

 At an individual and collective level, men (and those who identify as men) need to step up efforts to stop the abuse, assault and harassment of women (and those who identify as women, non-binary and queer).  We need to create space for women’s voices to be heard.  We need to support women candidates, CEO’s, elected officials, college presidents and managers/leaders and make sure that they are successful and have the support that they need.  We need to make sure that the stories and perspectives of women are represented and heard in every institution that we’re part of – our families, communities, churches and civic organizations – and that these stories and perspectives are given full attention.

And we need to believe women’s experiences and learn the hidden histories of women that have existed for centuries.

Today’s readings invite to take a closer look at the many ways that sexism, misogyny and patriarchy have affected us and vow to work against them wherever we find them.