My mother felt called to ordained ministry from before women were allowed to be church leaders. So she waited, studied science, became a teacher, started a family, and then embarked on the life that she knew that she was supposed to lead.
My mother is the strongest female role model I know, I am so lucky to have her.
Choosing to be a vicar wasn't an easy path for her. It's not an easy job and it's definitely not the most comfortable environment for women.
When we moved to her current parish, someone left the church without even meeting her simply because of her gender.
At larger leadership conferences, there are men who won't even consider her as a proper church leader, still believing that women shouldn't lead or preach.
But she should and she does.
Her job is not one that suits many people, her job has no time boundaries, she has to be both a care giver and a leader, a creative innovator and an accountant. It is stressful and busy and emotionally draining, but she is so SO good at it. And I cannot stress that enough on International Women's Day, she is so unbelievably good at her job.
So unbelievably good at something many, many people still believe women cannot and shouldn't be able to do.
My mother has the strength and authority to lead a church.
I don't need a divine revelation to realise that.
I don't need to study the scripture, scrutinise St Paul and find loopholes to realise that.
I don't need to defend her in any way because it is simply a fact.
Without ever really uttering the word feminist, without ever sitting down and explaining to me why we need to challenge the patriarchy, she has taught me that nothing should be out of my reach because I am a woman. She has taught me that being a woman is something to be proud and not ashamed of.
So today I would like to dedicate this post to Claire Holt. Because although I might get frustrated that our conversations are punctuated with phone calls from your congregation and our Christmases are more hectic than holiday, I am really proud to be your daughter.
