I’d like to speak in reference to the “women’s chapel” ACU women were subjected to this Tuesday.

Let me first remark that I am in no way attempting to disparage the women who led Chapel. I do not know them or their views on female equality in the church, and it is not my goal to criticize their worship style. My complaint is with the choice of topic (surprise! The family) and the overall atmosphere of “feminine timidity.”

Besides the constant barrage of paternalism that we are now victim to every day at this university, we are now apparently to attend Chapels which (if they follow in Tuesday’s footsteps) reinforce 50’s style gender roles and encourage a special ACU brand of “proper” female behavior.

If these socialization seminars, which are more about conditioning than worship, are to continue, I believe it would be in good taste not to count attendance.

Although conscientious objectors could use every one of our precious 15 allotted absences for the purpose of preserving our self-respect, we would be left in quite a bind when more pressing matters cause us to miss.

Sadly, the women of ACU, who are already forced to sit through an inordinate number of Chapel services where women are either softly patronized or vastly misrepresented, are now to be made to swallow a weekly dosage of gender programming. I, and many women like me want no part of this.

Elaine Grasham
senior music education major from Garland