Interview with a Feminist

[MysticSang'ha]

What is your opinion on the niqab and burqa from a feminist perspective? Do you view them as signs of oppression, or do you think it depends on whether women choose to wear them on their own?

Also, what do you think of the bans on both outfits in certain countries?

I see any sort of enforcement or coercion for dress codes for morality a sake...not functional sake or safety sake...to be problematic. The niqab in and of itself isn't inherently oppressive. But when coerced to give the appearance of chastity or obedience or reverence, I think it is.

I really don't like bans on the niqab. I worked with a Pentecostal family on their daughters taking ballet but wearing her long skirt instead of wearing a leotard. We made the compromise of her wanting to be around other girls who were wearing leotards, and that she could wear her long skirt down to her ankles. No kicks. But she could turn.

I also let them know her opportunities for growth in ballet were limited because of the decreased range of motion. They were fine with that. But I wasn't going to ban her from dancing because her parents didn't want her wearing leotards and tights.

 

[DennisTate]

I've done many of these interview threads throughout the years here at RF, including invitations concerning my dance, my time spent as a Tibetan Buddhist, and any general questions.

But let's give my personal experience and points of view up for questions regarding feminism.

A couple of ground rules:

- this isn't a debate thread, so rebuttals are better suited for other threads where debate is encouraged. I'm game to be invited to debates in case anyone wishes to have one. Just not here.

- I will not discuss my activism here.

- feel free to ask my views on any and all talking points where feminism is relevant. I will be happy to offer my own unique and Mystic feminism perspective.

- my perspectives on feminism are not the defining points of feminism here at RF. I have my perspective and should only be considered as such. Therefore, I do not speak for any other feminist here.

Welcome!

Would you be offended at all by an association by a Christian with the Holy Spirit.... as God the Mother?

Spirituality

What do you think is the true gender of God?

In all honesty, I always dislike being asked this, because the answer is always as complicated as the question.

But I will answer by saying that I deeply believe and intuit God to be a Being who is beyond human comprehension and understanding. I see God existing as One who encompasses absolutely everything that exists on a atomic or energetic levelyet even with all that, I know there is WAY more!

God also represents all timethe past, present and future that we are each existing in as a unique personality and while all this is going on, at the same timeGod also has an infinite and distinct personality.

But even "God", as a "Persona" or "Presence" is still way beyond our comprehension. So what do we humans' do to try to understand this Persona or Presence?we try to compare it to our own! And usually this boils down to us putting "God" as a gender or form we are personally comfortable seeing in a seat of control. From a conscious viewpoint in regard to gender: some men and women do not trust women, so they consistently see God only as a man. Some women and men do not trust men, so they consistently see God only as a woman. Yet, when looking at God from Divine viewpoint you must realize that in truth, as God exists in such a state of Totality, it stands to reason that "God" (in His or Her absolute form) is completely genderlessand exists for all of us an unlimited amount of faces and images.

However, now that I have pointed all this out, I want to say that I full-well know that their are very definite, discernable energies that come from God that we can sense as being either masculine or feminine. Because of this, I believe that God (in personality) speaks or reveals Him/Her Self to us using a voicing and/or image (whether masculine or feminine) that we most relate to or need to experience at the time.

When I was a child, I was most comfortable with seeing God literally as my "Heavenly Father" and I would hear from Him speaking to me with a voice I can only think to call male. Even today, with my enlightened way of seeing and thinking about God, I am still often comforted by a vision of God as a kind, strong, older man. Especially as it is becoming more obvious that we are living in a world where there is so little well-balanced male leadership and honest-to-goodness integrity!

Yet at the same time, I am aware that my Soul has had many lifetimes and existed in many religious belief systems where I have been comforted by the conscious notion of God as a masculine presence. But I know in my Heart of Hearts that God ALSO exists as a Divine Feminine presence. For years now my Spirit has told me that this is the part of God we see as, "The Holy Spirit." And since I am mentioning this here, I also want to make it quite clear that I believe our world and humanity has developed a tremendous unbalance due to the fact that The Divine Feminine has not been properly regarded in our religious systems. I think in order to have a healthy Self image of your own Spirit, you need to have both masculine and feminine principle represented and properly regarded. Until then the ego will define gender roles for us and subject many people to unnecessary trials and tribulations." (Christian Andreason, chapter 2)

 

[columbus]

Would you be offended at all by an association by a Christian with the Holy Spirit.... as God the Mother?

Just so you realize,
Mystic Sang'ha (the OP) had a bad stroke awhile back. Things like typing became very difficult for her and she stopped posting. Many of us really miss her.
Tom