Lately, it seems the news is plagued by stories of sexism and violence related to young women and girls globablly and in the U.S. While I think we all need to express collective outrage at such blatant and systemic acts of gender-based oppression and violence, we also need to see the daily impact of sexism […]
Valentine ’s Day has been civilized and capitalized, hallmarked and disneyfied, all in an attempt to clean up love and signify sexuality into a compartmentalized relationship standard, tied nicely with an over romanticized bow. As a cradle Catholic, the veneration of saints has been part of my religious heritage. I still remember elementary school projects […]
by Katey Zeh Having grown up in a Protestant tradition, I had never really given Mary much thought. If anything, I saw her as a kind of troubling figure for women, embodying passivity, purity, asexuality. But now, as someone who spends her days thinking and praying and theologizing about maternal health, I realize that there […]
A hand-written message entitled “How are you?” was posted on a South Korean university campus by a male student on December 10, 2013. In his posting, the student asked if anyone can truly be okay under the current social, political, and economic situation in South Korea: no apology over the National Intelligence Service’s interference with […]
“Pope Francis effect” may not be so evident among U.S. Catholics, as recent Pew report has put it. But pope’s advocacy for the poor and the marginalized, his personal humility, his comments on homosexuality, abortion, and most recently his critique of “the idolatry of money” have certainly drawn worldwide attention, pleasantly surprising his supporters and […]
Like many others, I was shocked and dismayed at the recent news of José Esteban Muñoz’s untimely death (on December 4), at the early age of 46. (See also the notices here, here, and here.) I always thought there would be time to meet Muñoz in person, having spent so […]
Want to discuss the future of women for the study of religion or women as the subject of religious studies? Learn the history of and contribute to the future for Women and Religion in the American Academy of Religion (AAR). Join the live discussion on twitter – follow #AARWR40. Women and Religion Section Theme: Over […]
Talking about sexuality AND religion for a living can be a daunting task. These topics come with a host of stereotypes, not to mention a presumption of privacy. Another way to describe what I do is to say that I “talk taboos.” Now, that’s not new news for most feminists. Speaking and writing about the […]
I’m feeling grateful once again for Marcia Rigg’s mediating ethic. The debate over Syria and U.S. intervention there (or not) has left me befuddled for days. So many thinkers and activists I respect are strongly articulating a “no more war” message as a way to stand against a military strike. I understand this. I am […]
The Women and Religion section of the American Academy has been around for over 40 years. As a member of the steering committee, I have been contemplating what the next 40 years will bring. When asked to be on this particular section of AAR, I was honored. Its history and the efforts of those who […]