Elevating Women’s Voices in the Church and in Our Communities
By Maria Cornell (SFS'20)
The first Catholic president of the United States, John F. Kennedy, is known for many things, but he rarely is recognized for his role in the women’s rights movement. Under the Kennedy administration, the Civil Rights Act and the Equal Pay Act were passed, and the Commission on the Status of Women was established. Though parts of Kennedy’s legacy are less bright regarding his record with women, he took unprecedented strides to protect the dignity of the human person—a core tenant of Catholic Social Thought. However, the presence of laws and ideals supporting equality in our society are not enough to change behavior. Equality and dignity must be institutionalized in every aspect of our culture and promoted among our youth and more tenured leaders, including those in religious and political positions.
Within the last year our country has seen an escalation in the fight for women’s rights, especially on topics of sexual harassment and assault. The most notable men of power who have been accused—each by multiple women—include Bill O’Reilly, Harvey Weinstein, and our nation’s current president, Donald Trump. The actions of these men have been excused and dismissed in various ways, and in all cases the survivors have been accused of lying. As a nation, we moved on from discussing their degrading actions with the change of the news cycle. As each breaking news story emerges and is forgotten we fail to acknowledge the pervasive issues that allow for the mistreatment and abuse of women to go mostly unchallenged.
Over the last nine months, there has been a dangerous level of indifference regarding rollbacks on Title IX, family and medical leave, and laws protecting women in the workplace from sexual harassment. These concerns remain secondary to other political issues and are often unaddressed both in the public square and within the Catholic Church. As a faith community, we miss the opportunity to condemn acts of sexual misconduct publicly thereby giving the appearance of tacit complicity. If we are to uphold the value of human dignity, it is imperative that we begin to elevate the diverse voices and experiences of women within the Church and in our greater communities. It is unacceptable for us to be complacent in the deafening silence that allows for the continued marginalization of women and other minority groups within our society. We must hold ourselves and the members of our community accountable to prevent even one more girl and woman from feeling the need to say #MeToo.
The leadership of the Catholic Church must continue to do its part to shape a culture of dignity and equality by holding each person accountable and tying the dignity of one individual to the dignity of the community. Catholic women need to have better access and more opportunities to engage with the Church on issues that affect them most. Platforms working to promote women’s voices in the Church, such as Voices of Faith, should be expanded to continue advancing the Church’s efforts on women’s issues—including education, poverty, healthcare, peace, and protection from sexual misconduct. By putting women’s issues at the forefront of the Church’s mission and at the center of its dialogues, our community will continue to show leadership on issues of human dignity around the world. As President Kennedy said when he established the Commission on the Status of Women in 1961, “Women have basic rights which should be respected and fostered as part of our Nation's commitment to human dignity, freedom, and democracy.”
Maria Cornell is a sophomore in the Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS'20) studying culture and politics, as well as Arabic.