Glass Ceiling

Following on from my last post... I discovered this reflection I wrote back in January 2010. Not sure why I didn't post it at the time...

The glass ceiling

They say it’s no longer an issue

But that’s just the men

We women know the truth

that they refuse to acknowledge-

That they are the esteemed,

the honoured members of the exclusive club

the ones who make decisions

who hold our future in their hands

In a church that claims to value

the gifts of all God’s people

those who are in reality acceptable

have to have the correct anatomy

and those of us missing that significant little feature

can run around in circles

loving, caring, making a difference

but not to the institution.

We can get close to the people

live out the incarnation

but be rejected and despised

by colleagues whose positions we threaten

Our warmth and sensitivity,

 our caring and compassion

are looked on with suspicion at best,

contempt at worst..

They bury their heads in the sand

and deny the truth

gush about being open and affirming

while firmly closing ranks.

We are not interested in competing,

but a leveling of the field would be good.

or at least the honesty to own

that the ceiling has not disappeared

not even been lowered

but is still firmly in place and being reinforced daily.

Liz Crumlish January 2010