Exactly a century ago today, on Oct. 10, 1911, California men went to the polls to vote for or against women’s suffrage. This was not the first time (the first vote in 1896 ended in defeat). But this time 3,331 San Diegan men favored women’s suffrage and 2,464 voted against. The final statewide count showed 125,037 for and 121,450 against. After much hard work of dedicated women and men, California women were finally granted the right to vote! [1]
I am glad that Anne Hoiberg of San Diego Union Tribune Opinion page called our attention to the centennial celebration of the 1911 landmark election. I am glad that she pointed out that both women and men were involved in this movement. I am even more grateful that at the end of her article, she pointedly concluded that the California women’s vote victory became a win for all San Diegans (San Diego women voted in a 1.7 million bond measure to build municipal pier).
For a woman who has always had the right to vote, I need to be reminded that what I have taken for granted my entire life wasn’t available for women….well, really not that long ago. For a person who works on women’s equality issues, I need to be reminded that both men and women were needed to bring true, meaningful and long lasting changes. As a Christian, I need to be reminded that God’s intention from the beginning was to have man and woman work side by side, hand in hand, and as one.
This summer, I was at CBE (Christians for Biblical Equality) conference, Seattle . I can honestly say that other than the many scholarly and informative seminar presentations CBE offered, I was the most impressed by the Christian men there: the sheer number of them, their kind heartedness, and their gentle yet unwavering determination to help their sisters regain the glorious position as daughters of God. It touched my heart in a way that I never knew (at one point, I simply sat in my chair and smiled to everyone passing by like an idiot because I was so happy).
However, my whole experience at CBE conference can only be described as bitter sweet. Yes, I was happy that there have been so many Christian men standing on the Word of God and fighting for their sisters. My heart, however, also ached for there is still so much injustices and oppression against women and Christian women in the name of God and using His Word.
May the women suffrage movement, a century later, be a reminder to all of us of Gen. 1: 26-31 which says: 26 Then Go: 26-31d said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” 29 ….. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
God created man and woman in His image and likeness. God ordained that man and woman lived together, served together, managed the earth together as a team, as partners, and yes, as body of Christ. One can not be without the other. May the Word of God be our guide, our light and our wisdom.
P.S. Since we are on the topic of women's right to vote: Saudi Arabia: King Abdullah granted women the right to vote and run in municipal elections, beginning in 2015. "Why not tomorrow?" asked Wajeha Al-Hawaidar, Saudi feminist. Saudi women need a man's permission to 1. drive 2. travel 3. use bank for financial transactions, including loan application 4. interacting with men in many social contexts.
P.S. Since we are on the topic of women's right to vote: Saudi Arabia: King Abdullah granted women the right to vote and run in municipal elections, beginning in 2015. "Why not tomorrow?" asked Wajeha Al-Hawaidar, Saudi feminist. Saudi women need a man's permission to 1. drive 2. travel 3. use bank for financial transactions, including loan application 4. interacting with men in many social contexts.
Do you think that the oppressions of women please Satan who hates women and babies because without women giving births there would be no baby Jesus? Let us please Satan no more. Let us please Jesus who has made both a woman out of a man and was born through a woman without a man to become a man. Overall He wants to honor men and women equally. Let us be like Jesus and honor women and men equally. Amen.
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