Reflection: Week 10 [Monday]

As we continue to watch Merchants Of Cool, I am reminded of Amy Kaherl's guest lecture about "body image" during Barry Taylor's Pop Culture class... specifically, body-image issues women deal with every day. Being married to a feminist, I have discussed these issues previous to our class sessions, previously viewed the aforementioned film on target marketing, and continue to see everyday evidence of a culture of perfection promoted by today’s corporate culture and mass-media outlets.

We are still in the middle of a women’s rights movement within the Church. And representation of women in leadership is still not universally accepted. Whereas, a hot button issue like segregation has moved from universally accepted, to cultural taboo, and finally to unacceptable within the past 200 years – women's leadership in the Church is still not to that point. There are many denominations that still are not accepting of women in pastoral leadership roles, carefully "allowing" women to lead ministries within the church without "allowing" women in lead pastor roles. We still have a long way to go. And seeing women in leadership positions in all areas of culture is a step that will help young women who see body image as supreme, to view being a woman as something more than a pretty face.