Prayer Against Patriarchy

God, you see our world.
The girl baby told she is sweet and lovely,
the boy baby praised for strength and power.
The little girl told to be quiet and sit still,
the boy allowed to run and play because boys will be boys.
The adolescent girl not giving the answer in school,
because the boys make fun if she stands out.
The teenage girl crossing her arms over her breasts,
after the boys comment and reach out to touch.
The young woman watching where she walks,
noticing in every room if there is a threat,
gauging when the catcalls become more menacing.
The working woman getting 70% on the dollar
compared to her male colleague.
The mother working a double shift,
working all day and coming home to housework
while her husband rests in the evening.
The woman scared and bruised
after her partner backhands her across the face.
The single mom at the foodbank for her children,
because her partner won’t pay child support..
Creator God, you made us,
you know how gender shapes us,
how expectations cramp our dreams.
Hear our prayer for those who cannot see
how gender roles chain us,
how sexism values men over women.
Help us shape our world,
changing laws and attitudes,
challenging churches and political systems,
supporting those who don’t conform,
encouraging each one to chart their own course.
Help us create a world where we can live,
valued and cherished for who we are.