Loss of a Good Word (Again)

on the Beauty of Sexism

Sexism is a beautiful thing. It protects the dignity, glory, and beauty of women, and provides a framework for how the sexes are to interact that helps society function—after all, society is built around the relationship between the sexes. The family unit—father, mother, and children—is the basic structure that forms a society.

Of course, I’m using the term “sexism” intentionally, aware of the connotations it holds in our culture. There are other, less inflammatory terms that may get at the heart of the issue more clearly (“patriarchy,” “complementarianism,” “chivalry,” etc.), but none of these push back against the grain quite hard enough. “Patriarchy” comes close, but “sexism” bites harder. In truth, my using a term like “sexism” is an attempt to make the right people angry, and the rest of us chuckle.

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Zephram Foster is a writer and musician from Tahlequah, Oklahoma. He works in higher education and in youth ministry in a Reformed Baptist Church. He writes songs, blogs, and hosts a film podcast called Not Qualified. He has been published in American Reformer, the Theopolis Institute, and elsewhere. His various outlets can be found at www.zeffoster.com.

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