Has anyone else noticed the declining view of men in media? It seems to me that the image of men, especially in television ads that the American man has been reduced to a stupid, lazy, incompetent ape, undeserving of the bold, intelligent, self-sufficient beautiful women they are often paired with. All of this is done in the name of making us laugh. I think this is a response to the stereotype that men are really just the figureheads of families, but the women really control everything.While some of this may be based in a silly but true seed of truth, the fact that the only commercials to show men not being idiots are ads selling men hygiene products is sad.

The answer to gender equality is not turning the tables. I’m all for strong, intelligent, beautiful women who can take care of themselves, but how can these women expect to find smart, funny, considerate men in this world when the culture of our media perpetuates this less-than-satisfactory image of the American man. I’m not asserting that we do away with the caricature. I think it’s funny, but it is overdone. Let’s tone it down a bit and get some more positive images out there. And ladies, let’s have the grace not to cry sexism when those positive images do make it on the scene.

I abandoned my husband during Sunday School at our new church to start attending a women’s only class. We’re doing this study by Susan Andringa called The Esteemed Journey: Discovering Your Full Worth in Christ. We’re only in the second week so its a little too soon to judge, but so far, I’m not impressed. It’s nothing against the people who picked it or Susan Andringa, but so far it’s not giving me tangible ways to deal with my burdens that its making me confront.

The good thing from this class has been the people in it. Since moving to a new town, it’s been difficult to meet people, especially other Christian women. I had forgotten what I had been missing out on. Just being in the same room and talking with other Christian ladies for an hour each week has acted as Red Bull for my soul.

Ladies, we need each other. We need to hang out, talk, support and pray for each other. Women were not supposed to live in isolation. We were supposed to be there for each other. You won’t know how important it is until they are no longer there.