What is sad to hear is the number of women among United and Evangelical Friends, that object to the idea of women's equality, usually quoting the Pauline epistles as the reason. They seem to worry that softening of the edge of the gender dicotomy will rob them of traditional self images of the woman's role and her right to make a carreer out of supporting their husbands in any way they can. When I was pastoring among FUM and speaking on the testimony of Friends on Equality, I often was eldered by octogenarian women who were widows and whose husbands had provided for them well. Unfortunately, there are many more women whose devotion to their husband is misplaced and taken for granted. Such a view also minimizes the advances rights conscious women have made over the last 150 years, and the testimony of Friends for 350 years. How did traditional family values over take the testimony of equality among Friends?
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