Dorothy Littell Greco defines misogyny this way in her new book: “the persistent, insidious belief that men’s ideas, wants, needs, and experiences are more important than women’s and that political, religious, and social systems, as well as intimate relationships, should uphold this principle.”
She adds, “This belief system subsequently influences the laws, practices, and ethos of a given culture, eventually harming everyone—especially women and children.”
Greco determines that misogyny is multi-faceted, that it’s ancient, patriarchal, pervasive, and evil, yet not inevitable thanks in large part to Jesus himself. “Regardless of whether you believe Jesus is the Son of God or simply a compelling historical figure, his love for women shows us how to dismantle misogyny,” she says in the book.
Readers will learn how misogyny rears its ugly head in health care, the workplace, government, media and entertainment, sexual relationships, and the church. Her examples throughout should come as no surprise to women who have been experiencing this for generation upon generation.
Greco is a meticulous researcher, a fine writer, and a strong voice for women as she seeks to reveal and heal the misogyny that many women have experienced within church contexts, including evangelical ones. In fact, one of the best aspects of For the Love of Women is her thoughts on how to heal this insidious wound and move forward without it at all.
“We’re not going to fix this in one generation,” she says in the book. “Each of us will need to discern what it means to faithfully show up, resist misogyny’s pull, and do the work of repair. This needs to happen individually and systemically.”
Greco has seen signs of hope. She’s had conversations with strong women, seen men trying to root misogyny out of their lives, and seen institutions prioritize equality and dismantle damaging systems. These glimmers “allow me to hope that change is truly coming,” Greco says. While likely not in her lifetime, she sees hope for her daughters and future granddaughters.
Readers of faith will find much to digest here, both to grasp how pervasive misogyny is and to understand how healing can take place.
Greco’s final instruction? “Go do your best. For the love of women.” (Zondervan Reflective)
About the Author
Ann Byle is author of Chicken Scratch: Lessons on Living Creatively from a Flock of Hens. She is a freelance writer and author of several other books, magazine articles, and reviews. She lives in Grand Rapids, Mich.