IWD: Invisible Women, Equity and Jesus.

Have you ever felt invisible? Trodden on? Devalued and alone? In this blog I want to look at a live situation in our schools in the UK and God’s radical care for Invisible women.

Think back to the last time you were at the theatre. In the short break you discover that the queue is at least 20 people long. What do you do? How does it make you feel?

There is a current debate and uproar in the UK as toilets in many secondary schools in the UK have become a safeguarding issue for pupils. The solution?

Lock the toilets during lessons.

The response from teenagers and parents has been uproar. Many teenagers don’t have time to queue for lunch and go to the toilet at lunchtimes, some are reported to no longer drink at breakfast, others have raised concerns over the impact on young women who are on their period. Parents across the UK have been crying out for help and teenagers are protesting in school across the country. Yet again a problem for all, becomes an even worse problem for young women.

Why women need more toilets and more time than men

Caroline Criado Perez in her excellent book “Invisible Women” exposing data bias in a world designed for men explores the theme of women being invisible, the first chapter is on sanitation.

We all know this to be true, but why does it happen and why does this mean that young women in UK schools will be worse off? “Invisible Women” a book on gender bias in society seeks to find the answers. Caroline says “There is a tendency to blame the women rather than male-biased design. But male-biased design is in fact exactly what the problem is here.”

On the face of it, it may seem fair and equitable to accord male and female public toilets the same amount of floor space – and historically, this is the way it has been done. 50/50 division of floor space has even been formalised in plumbing codes. However, if a male toilet has both cubicles and urinals, the number of people who can relieve themselves at once is far higher per square foot of floor space in the male bathroom than in the female bathroom. Suddenly equal floor space isn’t so equal. But even if male and female toilets had an equal number of stalls, the issue wouldn’t be resolved, because…

• Women take up to 2.3 times as long as men to use the toilet

• Women make up the majority of the elderly and disabled, two groups that will tend to need more time in the toilet.

• Women are also more likely to be accompanied by children, as well as disabled and older people.

• Then there’s the 20–25% of women of childbearing age who may be on their period at any one time, and therefore needing to change a tampon or a sanitary pad.

• Women are eight times more likely to suffer from urinary-tract infections than men which again increases the frequency with which a toilet visit is needed.

Back to the opening story about the situation in our secondary schools in the UK, I wonder how the girls in these schools feel? Do they need equity or equality? I wonder how you feel after reading these statistics? For me, a mum of two girls, it makes me feel incredibly nervous about my daughter going to secondary school. The overwhelming response to the decision by schools makes me feel that young girls and their needs for equity are still invisible. International Women’s Day is a day to raise issues of gender disparity, a day to consider those who are invisible, trodden on and alone.

Have you ever felt invisible? Trodden on? Devalued and alone? Sadly the invisibility of women is not just a modern problem but an ancient one too. Within the Genesis story in the Bible, this is something that shouldn’t surprise us, inequality was part of the curse (Genesis 3), part of the way the world has gone wrong. But all through the story of redemption we see God actively working to reverse the curse.

Gods radical care for Invisible women means we should care too

There was once a young woman who was sold into slavery, a piece of property on an inventory list that exchanged hands, her body was the property of others, a handmaiden to her mistress. Her mistress showed no regard for her human dignity or acknowledged that her handmaiden had the same feelings, hopes longings as other women. The young slave girl was nothing more than her mistresses last chance of becoming a mother.

This practise was authorized by Ancient Near Eastern laws and in society was seen as a practise that was culturally acceptable. The mistress would have been duty bound to find a maidservant, as it protected the barren woman and built the family. So the maidservant had a child for her mistress which once its born becomes the property of the mistress and the handmaiden can be sold off. The law was on the mistresses side, the handmaiden was alone, with no voice, oppressed, invisible.

You’ll find the story of this woman in Genesis 16. She had been used as a handmaiden and once she conceived the relationship between her mistress and her broke down even further. Hagar was so badly mistreated that she fled into the desert. Hagar had no meaning or value, she was insignificant, invisible and alone.

It was in the desert, by a well that Hagar’s life was changed, for she met an Angel. In this encounter three things happen, for the first time in a long time she is called by name as a slave in a household she would have been unnamed, a number, less than human. The angel also promises her that she will have many children – something that was deeply desirable in her society. Finally she learns she is pregnant with a son.

The Angel has been sent by God to speak on his behalf and this encounter ultimately shows how Hagar met God. The Angel is clearly telling her whatever her status, her background, how she’s been treated that the living God wants to meet her. There are three name changes here that are important to notice; the name of her son, God and a well. Each name change is significant for Hagar.

1. “You shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard of your misery.” Ishamael means God hears.

2. In response to this Hagar for the first time in human history gives God a name and calls him “El Roi” which means “You are a God who sees me”

3. Finally the well where she met with the Angel was named “Beer Lahai Roi” which means well of the Living One who sees me.

As Hagar fled a desperate situation she stopped for a drink and at this well she was found, she was seen and she was called by name. An Angel of God met her in her deepest need, she received dignity and meaning. She was not alone, not invisible to the God who made her and loved her.

In a world where women and girls are often over looked, even when it comes to very basic needs, there is a God who sees, understands and loves each and every woman. A God who sees you. A God who’s radical care for Invisible women means we should care too.

~ By Nay Dawson