Women in Power Positions

http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2011/06/hail_to_the_housewife.html


The role of women in politics has been a growing one ever since the acceptance of women into the political process since the ratification of the nineteenth amendment in the early twentieth century. Religion has recently started to play an important and highly publicized role in the political process because of female candidates of the past two elections alignment with the GOP and the prevalence of religion among some of their supporters. 


Both during the 2008 election and so far on the road to the 2012 election, the role of the woman in an evangelist Christian home has been a widely publicized point of discussion between Bachmann and Palin critics alike. Their critics are both women who are against the submissive role politicians like Bachmann and Palin are expected to fill according to strict Christians, and members of branches of highly traditional/conservative Christianity who think that women would be abandoning their posts as women if they were to run for public office. 


The article writes that, "Reverend Albert Mohler Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said that while he liked Palin's political views, he worried about the effect of her candidacy on her domestic priorities." Ideas like these are likely to face Bachmann again if she ever shies away from her already established claim that she would remain a submissive wife in the White House, though she believes that she and her husband respect each other, so it won't be a problem. However, feminists and women supporters of an egalitarian approach to religion will not be won over with that kind of talk. While Bachmann may be gaining favor with prominent men and other submissive women like herself, she will continue receiving opposition from women who believe the opposite on the role of women in the family. 


This dichotomy is sure to divide a majority of women, whether it be in support of Bachmann's respect for family and duty on the home front, or challenge against Bachmann's passive attitude while she runs for arguably the highest position of power in our country. The problem that comes with evangelists supporting Bachmann's quest to be a powerful woman, yet still second in command in her own home originates from the idea that, "If his fellow Christians supported a woman in a position of civic leadership, they should logically support the notion of women exercising leadership in church and at home—but most of them don't."


Christian voters will have to decide whether they are willing to abandon the strict interpretation of the Bible which asserts that women be quiet and remain subservient to their husband, or if they will seek a new interpretation that allows women to compete with men in positions of power without abandoning their families or duties as women.