Crosspost from Women's Media Center
Inspired by the women she met at the Omega Women and Power Conference, WMC’s Jamia Wilson explains why their visions of spirituality belong at the heart of feminism.
The Omega Sanctuary.
For me, feminism is God’s work. Yes, I am a pro-choice feminist who celebrates science, and is committed to protecting first amendment rights for all. Concurrently, I humbly revere the sublime presence of the creator in all things, people, and ideas, including our movement for equality.
When I reflect upon my experience at the Omega Institute’s Women and Power conference from September 24 through 26, I envision the convergence of hundreds of powerful women and allies, sharing space and time to contemplate a common vision—compassion for ourselves and each other. As the Omega Institute website states, The Women and Power Conference empowers women “to bring hope, healing, and change to their own lives and the world around them.”
Many of the women I met at Omega dismantled the trite conservative notion that spirituality has no place within the feminist conversation. I encountered a cadre of such women as Gabrielle Bernstein, spiritual guru and former NARAL Young Professionals Council president, and Meggan Watterson, feminist theologian and executive director of REVEAL: Young Women Defining the Divine. Their faith fuels a passion for gender equality and feminist stewardship.
In a political climate where religious fundamentalism often corrupts, desecrates, and betrays, it makes sense that even some progressives are wary of the intersection of faith and politics. These women, however, exemplify the synergistic relationship between feminism, activism, and spirituality, representing many of us whose stories are often absent or minimized in the public discourse.
For three days, we allowed ourselves to return to nature and focus on “being the change we want to see in the world” in the spirit of Gandhi. Academics, activists, dharma teachers, yogis, performers, philanthropists, scientists, humanitarians, artists, mothers, poets, and educators, pondered the meaning of women’s leadership, with many concluding that guidance that is heart-driven and powered by compassion, love, innovation, and active listening will render a more powerful movement.
Among these courageous women were Leyma Gbowee, leader of Women of Liberia Mass Action, philanthropist Jennifer Buffett, and Malika Saada Saar, founder of the Rebecca Project for Human Rights (the name honors both the biblical Rebecca and beloved teacher and artist Rebecca Rice). These leaders call for a paradigm shift that privileges compassion, over destructive hegemonic manifestations of power that diminish humanity.
In listening to women’s stories over the three days, I gained a wealth of knowledge—including these seven potent ideas that inform how we can actualize our spiritual feminist power:
My most important takeaway from the conference was the idea that our success as a movement depends on our ability to respect spirituality’s role in the feminist conversation. Women are practicing feminism around the world by fighting for their values and beliefs, raising their voices, and demanding to be recognized in their spiritual communities. Current discourses related to women’s ordination, Islamic and Mormon feminism, Wiccan religious freedom, and many more conversations related to women’s spiritual lives provide us with new opportunities to discuss power and feminism with a perspective that will broaden our movement. I have faith that loving peace, mindfulness, karmic flow, sisterhood, and compassionate leadership will drive our movement to create more inclusive spaces where interfaith belief systems and discussions related to spirituality are welcomed rather than feared, and celebrated instead of undermined.
The views expressed in this commentary are those of the author alone and do not represent WMC. WMC is a 501(c)(3) organization and does not endorse candidates.
At the Omega Institute’s 2010 Women and Power Conference last weekend, WMC Vice President Jamia Wilson spoke to Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco about feminism, spirituality and leadership.
Ani DiFranco marched and performed at the April 25, 2004, March for Women's Lives in Washington, D.C.
Feminist icon, political activist, and raconteuse Ani DiFranco won a 2004 Grammy, and two years later the National Organization for Women (NOW) honored her with its Woman of Courage Award. In our short conversation, DiFranco, founder of Righteous Babe Records, displayed the wit, wisdom, self-definition and thoughtfulness that inform her music and political messages.
Jamia Wilson: Music has been your main medium for conveying powerful messages about social change. What are other sources that drive your power?
Ani DiFranco: More and more I realize feminism will save the world. Feminism is for everybody. You can’t start with a fundamental, crazy imbalance like patriarchy. Until we have gender equality we will have crazy social ills. Feminism is a tool for men as well to escape violence and inequality.
I was blessed with a feminist mom and her empowered friends who started a food co-op and were part of “Women for Downtown Buffalo.” We would always go door to door for progressive women candidates. I learned very early what it means to connect with other women, and I realized that these are the women whose respect means so much to me. I wanted the respect of the people I respect.
Wilson: As you may have already determined, this is a friendly feminist interview. How did you handle criticism from the opposition early on in your career?
DiFranco: I am getting more of the friendly interviews over time, but in the face of criticism I was secure that there was another world, an even better place to live on. That’s where my focus was. I never took criticism from the conservative media and patriarchal apparatus.
Wilson: You received NOW’s Woman of Courage Award at the Young Feminist Summit. What fuels your courage? What words of advice do you have for young feminists?
DiFranco: I turned 40 two days ago. I think that 15 years ago, I was not as clear. After struggling to get back to myself, I saw that the more you care for other people and put them next to you and provide an atmosphere where everyone is fulfilled, the more that atmosphere is created for yourself. Being benevolent and kind for someone else is doing it for yourself.
Wilson: Happy Birthday Ani! I’m honored that you’re spending it with us. I am turning 30 in a few weeks. We’re both Libras! [With her hands, DiFranco simulates the balancing scales that represent the zodiac sign.]
I have heard great things about the way you work with your band and staff. Do you have suggestions for how we can invoke more compassionate leadership within the movement? What does it look like?
DiFranco: It looks like mothers look. We need to look no further than the literal experience of your body that is my body, your blood that is my blood that puts us as women. Autonomy is a masculine family. We are one organism, different hearts, arms of one. Women have a heightened appreciation for this. You don’t have to give birth to know the spirit of this. It’s not about what’s right for me. It’s about what’s right for us. We don’t think for one, we think for at least two—hopefully we think for all. It’s the motivation for our deciding.
Conversely, there’s an important growing period for young women to know what we want and be able to act on our own behalf. Self-sacrificing is very female. Martyr can translate to anger. I inherited that anger and had to get a lot of that out of me to get the ultimate beauty and power of thinking like a woman. You’re not a martyr. You are one step ahead in something patriarchal society would do well to learn. You can’t think for one to have a successful world.
Wilson: I am emerging from that period in my life where I came to a similar realization about that level of personal awareness you spoke of. Spirituality centers me and allows me to listen more to my inner voice and needs. What does spirituality mean for you?
DiFranco: For me, God is a metaphor. All of the contexts in which God can be found are all based on a metaphor. Those that can think in terms of metaphor understand the consciousness that empowers us all. The more we recognize it, the stronger and happier we are. Spirituality is prioritizing, and focusing on serving that oneness.
Wilson: What role, if any, does spirituality have in the feminist movement? Is there synergy between activism and spirituality?
DiFranco: Spirituality has a different definition for each of us. Like love, it is inextricable—all of the great activists I know are spiritual, joyful, and loving people. They have discerned that working for your community and society is a way of being a more happy and fulfilled person, in a sense of being in touch with God.
Marches are all about driving fun, coming together in a positive space, and you meet people who make you feel less alone. That is where spirituality, activism and art become one.
The views expressed in this commentary are those of the author alone and do not represent WMC. WMC is a 501(c)(3) organization and does not endorse candidates.
This article is a cross-post of a piece from Women's Media Center.
I am having a positive day. After a week of struggles and tests, possibilities are begining to reveal themselves. I woke up this morning thinking about my dad singing Shirley Caesar's gospel anthem "He's Working it Out". It came at an interesting time where many things have been testing my tenacity and faith. I am a very spiritual person and I believe that I can feel energy changing around me. I am excited for blessings that may not be known to me at this present time--but I know they are coming. It seems that so many signs are pointing me toward renewed faith and a focus on letting go. I am currently reading a great book by Gabrielle Bernstein, the founder of Her Future. I learned so much during her "Knowing Your Worth" workshop with the founder of Daily Worth. I am already experiencing fantastic results after applying some of their basic principles and focusing on the idea that "the universe has my back".
Another cool thing happened today! I just found out that I am going to be Fly Girl of the Week on one of my absolute FAVORITE blogs. Check me and the other FGOTW's out on theFLY blog!
Tonight, I am quiet. I am trying to drown out the noise in order to hear the whispers. As I cleaned up my apartment tonight I decided to listen to a beautiful conversation between Tibetan buddhist monk Pema Chodron and Alice Walker. The discussion between Chodron and Walker focuses on the meaning of suffering and happiness. It was amazing to hear how both of these women gained so much perspective about humanity through their reflective reactions to their own trials.
I found their discourse exciting and hopeful, providing guidance to all of us who forget our nature and become stuck in fears of faltering and suffering that may block our path. I am really intrigued by Chodron's reference to the Gnostic Gospels and Jesus' words about the handling of suffering. Each day I realize that we are all connected and the divine warms us all in the ways that we need.
As I work on transforming the way I deal with pain and suffering, I am looking forward to practicing some Tonglen before bed. I am hopeful and working on remaining mindful of the beauty of the real blessings I have in this exact moment.
Lubna Hussein is showing the Sudanese government who is "wearing the pants" by protesting her arrest for wearing so-called "indecent" clothing [i.e. pants] to a restaurant. Hussein has been sentenced to forty lashes because she publically donned a loose headscarf, a loose shirt, and loose trousers. In hopes that her case will bring global attention to the plight of Sudanese women , Hussein has decided to forgo UN employee immunity and will be headed to court to fight the charges in the outfit that caused the initial stir.
"This is not a case about wearing pants. This is a case about annulling the article that addresses women's dress code, under the title of indecent acts. This is my battle. This article is against the constitution and even against Islamic law itself". --Lubna Hussein
