Horizons magazine is published by Presbyterian Women (PW) the national women’s organization of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Issue link: http://horizons.epubxp.com/i/481579
March/April 2015 1 H ave you heard of the Bechdel test? It's a series of questions initially conceived for assessing whether a film is an empowering representation of women or a stereotypical depiction. There are just three questions. 1. Are there at least two female characters? 2. Do they talk to each other? 3. Do they talk to each other about something besides a man? It's a fascinating test for a number of reasons. According to its questions, less than half of contemporary films could be considered empowering. It's a useful tool for not just films, but books and televi- sion shows—even works of nonfiction. Perhaps even for our lives. In that last potential is relevancy for Presbyterian Women. The test's ques- tions are at the foundation of why PW groups formed to begin with. At a time when women couldn't have formal lead- ership roles in churches, Presbyterian women knew they had gifts to share with a world in need. So they started meeting—to do mis- sion work, support the church, study the Bible, advocate for justice and, gen- erally, talk to each other about some- thing besides men. (Of course, one particular man—Jesus—frequently came up in conversations, but certainly, he gets an exemption!) Today, Presby- terian Women still meet, talking to each other about our faith and issues that matter. Bechdel test? Check, check, and check! Maybe we could add another ques- tion to make it the PW test. 4. Are the women better off having talked? "Better off" is a bit of a fuzzy gauge though, isn't it? A conversation with a beloved friend brightens our day, reminds us that we're loved and impor- tant. Better off? Definitely. But what about two women commiserating over a shared frustration—for example, feeling their voices aren't being heard? They're better off not carrying that weight alone, better off having someone hear and acknowledge their stories. But now they're carrying a different nag- ging worry—of a systemic injustice that's silencing or marginalizing lots of women. "I'm not alone in this. Phew! . . . Oh, no!" It's what we do with that nagging worry that measures whether we're bet- ter off. And "what we do" is at the heart of this issue. The following pages offer national and international, biblical and current examples of women taking, being given or sharing their power. Reflect on the power we have as women and as people of faith. Be inspired by what we've helped accomplish and be strengthened for wonderful, uncomfort- able conversations that will guide us forward in Christ. a b o u t t h i s i s s u e Women's Empowerment t t t Our Purpose The purpose of Horizons magazine is the same as the purpose of our publisher, Presbyterian Women: Forgiven and freed by God in Jesus Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we commit ourselves • to nurture our faith through prayer and Bible study, • to support the mission of the church worldwide, • to work for justice and peace, and • to build an inclusive, caring community of women that strengthens the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and witnesses to the promise of God's kingdom. Circulation Information Letters to the Editor Send your comments to Horizons, 100 Witherspoon St., Louisville, KY 40202–1396; FAX 502/569–8026; or email Susan.Jackson- Dowd@pcusa.org. Due to the volume of mail received, letters may not receive a personal reply. Opinions expressed by individual authors are not necessarily those of the publisher. Visit PW and Horizons online Presbyterian Women • www.presbyterianwomen.org Horizons • www.pcusa.org/horizons Subscriptions To subscribe to Horizons, or if you have questions about your current subscription, call 866/802-3635, or visit www.pcusa.org/horizons. Allow 8–12 weeks for your new subscription to become effective. Moving? Send your new address (including your current Horizons label) to Horizons, P.O. Box 421, Congers, NY 10920-0421, call 866/802-3635, visit www.pcusa.org/horizons or FAX 845/267-3478. Allow 8–12 weeks for your change of address to become effective. Postmaster: Send address changes directly to Horizons, P.O. Box 421, Congers, NY 10920-0421. Themes and Guidelines Horizons welcomes manuscript submissions. A list of our upcoming themes, manuscript deadlines and writers' guidelines are available from our office or our web site. Write to PW Assistant Editor, 100 Witherspoon St., Louisville, KY 40202–1396; FAX 502/569–8026; or visit www.pcusa.org/horizons.