Calvin University's official student newspaper since 1907

Calvin University Chimes

Since 1907
Calvin University's official student newspaper since 1907

Calvin University Chimes

Calvin University's official student newspaper since 1907

Calvin University Chimes

Letter to the Editor: Women do fill roles

Letter to the Editor: Women do fill roles

In “Changing the way we talk about women at Calvin,” Emily Anderson writes that a poster put up by the men of first Huizenga put an “emphasis solely on women’s role in the family structure” and was a “reinforcement of these same outdated gender roles.” Is it an outdated gender role for women to be mothers? I sure hope not, because if so, humanity will soon go extinct.

Yes, the quotation on the poster only mentions women whose identities are connected to that of men. It also only mentions men whose identity is connected with that of women. “There is no mention of … a career woman, a single woman.” Nor is there a mention of such a man. The poster emphasizes that men need women, not that women are subservient to men.

She also writes, “Women don’t get their identities from the roles they fill.” That is not true. I have met women who say that their goal in life is to be a mother. I have also met women who say they plan to remain single and pursue a career. Both such women are finding their identities in the roles they fill. Emily Anderson seeks to change the way we speak about gender roles at Calvin, but it will never be wrong or demeaning to use the terms “wife” and “mother” to refer to women who fill those roles, or to encourage women to fill them excellently, because God calls many women to them. Motherhood (or rather, parenting in general) is honorable enough that God made a commandment about it.

Finally, the last line of the poster, “But Kalsbeek girls are usually the ones up front” forces us to reinterpret the preceding lines; it is a deliberate reversal. It says, “Behind every great woman is a man who supports her, behind every good wife is a husband worth being good for, and behind every little girl is a father that teaches her well.” As a man, I do not take that statement to mean that my only role is to support my wife and my daughter. It means that both men and women are great only when supported by each other. This is nothing to be ashamed of, but something in which to rejoice. Praise God that he made us to need e

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