Can You Have A Traditional But Egalitarian Marriage?

I read this beautiful tribute to Gail Wallace’s parents and their traditional but Egalitarian marriage and it got me to thinking. I feel that sometimes Egalitarianism is thought to be disapproving of those who wish to live out the stereotypical, middle-class, American, traditional gender roles in their life or relationships, but this is actually not the case.

Egalitarians and Christian Feminists are not against men and women filling traditional roles if they want to. We just support equal authority and equal opportunity. We support those who choose not to fill those traditional roles as well.

We support stay-at-home wives and mothers as well as working wives and mothers. We support men who make either of these choices too. We support leading male ministers and men who minister behind the scenes. We support women who make either of these choices too.

The bottom line is we believe that each of us has a set of unique giftings, strengths, circumstances and callings, none of which are based on our sex. If yours happen to look a bit traditional that is a-okay, but you shouldn't feel as if you need to limit yourself to tradition if that is not where your strengths lie. God is far more creative than that. We are not all made the same, even within the sexes.

So, go for it. Whatever God has called YOU as an individual to do for this season or for the foreseeable future, do it with all of your heart.

-Ashley Easter