GENDER.

The circles differ in the way they look and expressed, because of the influence and colouring effect of gender.

There is a social aspect of gender, especially to do with gender roles (the role of men and women) within different families, churches, and societies. In the church, Christianity has been seen as a white heterosexual middle class religion. God is accused of being a male patriarch. The church has been seen as a social construct to retain male power.

Culture (one of the other brushes) plays a large part in the way men and women see themselves and each other.

• In different geographical areas of the world, (ranging from countries through to suburbs right into the home) gender roles differ. Men and women are treated differently in one country when compared to another, and even from one suburb to another. Also, men and women relate differently when in the home compared to when at work. In many homes, in the Western world, men are more absent and the mother more dominant. In many places of work, men occupy more powerful positions than women.
• Over time, especially during the second half of the 20th century, contraception produced immense changes for women. This has allowed women to have more control over their bodies, and participated in the free sex revolution, assisting the growth of feminism. In addition, there was the growth of post-modernity which encouraged a much freer expression on an individual basis. With these changes and no doubt more,

• gender role has become much more confused and individualistically determined. Someone can experiment and determine whether they are more male or female in themselves (gender identity). However, one good aspect of this is that it has encouraged men to be able to express parts of themselves which were previously thought to be effeminate such as sensitivity and listening to one's feelings. Also women have been encouraged to be more appropriately assertive and participate in what was otherwise a very male dominated world.
• sexual orientation (which one's sex you are attracted to) has also become something which should be experimented with just in case you are missing out on some experience.

The central issue here is to seek to place the impact of gender issues in our lives and their expression, in a top right hand quadrant of the sqaure. How should men and women see each other and relate with each other in a positive and functional God centred way, at home and at work? That women are able to be equal in importance, respect and power is not only good, but also something which Jesus did in a radical way for his time (for example when with the woman at the well in Samaria, Jn 4). Women are as much people as men. Equal, however, does not mean having to be the same, either in more subtle ways such as role (for example in the family), or as we will now move on to look at, in a more obvious way from the physical point of view.

Gender variations are more clearly seen in the biological differences. Indeed, God made us different. These differences may be the obvious secondary sexual characteristics (breasts, hair distribution and genitals), but they also may be more subtle differences, ranging from hormonal (may be not so subtle!) to brain differences. For example, the

• Male brain is heavier than the females. (Is that because the male needs more brain to cope, compared to the more efficient and compact female brain, or is it that men are just bigger!?).
• Sexually, females respond differently, from males. For males, the physical act of sex is often quicker and has more of a physical emphasis. For females, it is often slower and integrally involved in relationship. (Thus males have been called "light bulbs"; quick to turn on and quick to turn off. Females have been referred to as "irons"; slow to turn on and stay hot!)

Males and females also vary psychologically. The ways men and women think differently have provided much material for books and presentations, as well as much discussion
(and confusion) between husband and wife. Men are more focused on solutions, women on the problem being understood. Men are more orientated towards doing, and women
towards "being". (Thus it is common to see women meeting to chat, while men meet to act and do something together.) This has implications for how church can best serve men
and women in different ways. For one they will be a greater emphasis on talking and the other more on action.

Although men and women have differing spiritual experience and behaviours (eg women may be more emotional and men more cognitive), it is hard to see how they are different
at the central circle in the spirit.

Gender and Christian Wholeness

What is gender in the context of Christian Wholeness? God made man and woman as clearly different, and yet complementary. Gendered needs to be placed in the top righthand quadrant. Gender and gender differences are a part of God's creation, to be received, with thanks. Gender can be submitted to the influence and lordship of God, or it can be self centred. It can be negative when it is used as a destructive influence, particularly in terms of power and defining who is respected and belongs or not. Worse still, is when gender is used to shame (ie "Thank God I am not a woman), or at its worst, when gender is capitalised on to risk safety ( eg. domestic violence).