Women: Where are we headed?

In 2017, there are various social issues at the forefront of American politics and

womens rights are no different. For those unfamiliar, womens rights are those that

promote a position of legal and social equality between women and men. After watching

women march on Washington, Chicago, New York, California, and even Indianapolis,

theres no doubt that were pushing the envelope on issues that need to be addressed.

One would think that being able to exercise control over their body, education, love life,

etc. would be common sense, but in 2017, it is not. Women are still fighting for the same

humanities that men have received since the beginning of time.

Supporting Paragraph 4, Article 4, the proposed amendment to the United

Methodist Church constitution, says, I want to help propel women forward. The

proposed amendment reads:

In the United Methodist Church, no conference or other organizational unit of the

Church shall be structured so as to exclude any member or constituent body of the

Church because of race, color, national origin, ability or economic condition, nor shall

any member be denied access to an equal place in the life, worship, and governance of

the Church because of race, color, gender, national origin, ability, age, marital status,

or economic condition.

All Annual and Central Conferences will vote in 2017 and 2018. The proposed

amendment adds the words ability, gender, age, and marital status. Adding the word
gender to the list of categories constitutionally protected from exclusion in the Church

ensures that the Church cannot discriminate against a person because they are male or

female. Throughout The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, gender is

used when addressing fair treatment of both men and women; this language is

consistent with The Discipline. This amendment is one large step toward equality.