How to Be an Advocacy Movement of One
Written By Dr. Courtney Ray
Representation matters. We see the overwhelmingly positive responses when communities that have been historically marginalized see themselves reflected in media, leadership and policy making. Case in point, to date, Warner Bros. highest grossing domestic film isn’t the Dark Knight or Harry Potter—but Barbie! Women and girls of all ages have been buzzing about the film’s themes of representing women as talented, valuable, empowered leaders. This isn’t new information. The contributions of women have always been powerful. What’s unfortunately all too rare is the acknowledgment of those contributions in the stories we tell.
Barbie wasn’t the first though. I can point to several films in recent years depicting women as strong leaders. Wonder Woman and Hidden Figures are two that immediately spring to mind. The latter was based on real life Black female scientists and mathematicians behind NASA’s successful space program whose stories went untold for decades. As one of those people who saw themselves reflected in these heroines, I can say it was inspirational and encouraging. And although there are even more examples, the fact is, they are too few and far between.
Of course, the church’s motivation for highlighting the value of women isn’t based on following Hollywood’s trends. It’s based on the fact that women have intrinsic value as bearers of the image of God (Gen 1:26). Our Church’s official stance maintains that “women should play an increased role in the leadership and decision-making bodies of both church and society. Ultimately, we believe that the church will fulfill its mission only when women are empowered to achieve their full potential.” And the North American Division has made great strides in seeking to increase the number of women in leadership and pastoral ministry. The incentivization for conferences to hire female Seminary graduates, the supportive Women Clergy retreats, the scholarships for women in ministry, and the offer to help finance women who want to pursue their D.Min., are all tangible efforts to promote the inclusion of more female pastors into the ministerial ranks.
While these are all fabulous institutional initiatives, what can individuals do? Not every effort towards inclusivity has to be grandiose or even systemic. Each person can practice advocacy in smaller, but exceptionally meaningful ways in their own local setting. For example, simply inviting female pastors to speak (and not just for Women’s Day) is a simple way to support and give visibility to women in ministry. Many of the most substantive, dynamic, and anointed preachers I know are women! It’s unconscionable that, in 2023, I should be preaching to congregations and still having people come to me after service exclaiming that I’m the first female pastor they’ve ever heard preach at their church!
Another easy gesture is showing women pastors the same respect as their male colleagues. While it may not be the case in all congregations, in many settings, pastors are often addressed as “Elder [Last Name]” or “Pastor [Last Name]”. If that is the tradition at your church, make sure you address women the same way you would address men. A female pastor should not be addressed as “Sister [So and So]” unless it’s your custom to also address a male pastor as “Brother [So and So]”.
One more simple but overdue step towards inclusion is finally saying goodbye to the “manel”! Too often in our church there are programs featuring panels of experts composed entirely of men. Not only should organizers be cognizant of the importance of diversifying who is involved in a series or seminar, but participants should as well.
I was recently asked to speak at a multi-night event with several different presenters. One of my first questions was “who else is speaking?” When I was given the list, I saw I was the only woman. When I mentioned it, the organizer lamented about the difficulty involved in finding women to speak. I’ve heard this said more than once. “We asked [one woman] and she couldn’t come.” This might be a legitimate reason when seeking someone to speak on a highly specialized topic. As far as I’m aware, I’m the only Adventist pastor who is both certified in trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy and a neuroscientist. So if you want that specific combo (and I’ve been asked for that) yet I’m unavailable on your date, you just may be out of luck! But barring something that specific, you should be able to ask more than one or two people. There’s no reason why a Family Life series, a revival, or panels on any number of more general theological topics should consist exclusively of male participants. And when there are a large number of speakers, a single “token” is not ok. So if you find yourself invited to be included in a “manel” what can you do? Treat it as an opportunity to be an advocate! In my situation, I told the organizer I would be happy to speak—but not if I’m the only woman. I gave him a list of several talented women of God who would be a blessing to the program. I’ve had my sister pastors share my name in this manner too. It’s a simple way that both men and women can enhance the visibility and inclusion of women.
Representation is important in all areas. Having diverse voices should be the standard no matter what the topic is. But it becomes that much more important when we have specialty forums about different groups. People with disabilities should be involved on panels about disabilities. There shouldn’t be seminars about youth if no youth are among the participants. And we need to stop having forums on the LGBTQIA community only among those who are cisgender and straight. Each time I’ve been approached to take part in presentations like these, I make it clear that my participation is contingent on inclusion. I have taken a firm stance that I’m not going to be a part of a forum talking ABOUT a people group if there are no representatives FROM that people group. I always provide names to program organizers to be more inclusive. I ask colleagues often if they have recommendations for new voices as well, and God never fails to provide.
Advocacy for representation can sometimes feel daunting. You may wonder “What can one person do?” But advocating for representation is simple. We just have to be intentional about doing it.
Dr. Courtney Ray is an ordained pastor of the Adventist Church and a clinical neuropsychologist who practices in the New York Metropolitan area.