About 4 years ago, I came across Professor Helen Alvaré's extensive and exceptional work on authentic feminism at a very low and difficult point in my life . And Helen's clear and articulate words on the inherent dignity of women as intended by God, lifted and filled me up with consolation, courage and purpose.
Ever since then, I have listened to most of her talks that I could find on the internet and I have read A LOT of her articles (and my life is better for it!). I'll tell you at this point that Helen Alvaré is incredibly good at what she does. I found her to be super-smart and yet super-skilled at transmitting her knowledge.
But in all my colorful and hopeful imaginations never did I think that I would come in contact with her, but a little over a year ago following the Open Letter to Melinda Gates, Helen and I became acquainted through email and we communicated that way until we met in Rome 10 days ago. She was in fact one of the amazing speakers invited by the Pontifical Council for the Laity to shed more light on the riches of Pope John Paul II's document on women- Mulieris Dignitatem.
Needless to say that meeting her in person was for me an honour and privilege . And from day 1 of our Seminar, Helen embraced me with so much kindness and graciousness. We had many opportunities to chat over lunch and coffee breaks, but with Helen every “chat” is rich and enlightening because, in my humble opinion, she radiates knowledge especially with issues concerning women in the culture.
By the end of our 3-day Seminar, I respectfully asked her for an interview which she graciously granted me in order to address the present plight of Africa in a global moral climate that is increasingly hostile to the Culture of Life, a moral climate that is harsh to the innocence of young ones and in many ways harmful to the well being women, a moral climate in which sexual liberty towers over religious liberty and in which sexual pleasure is given a higher value than the right to life of the unborn.
How should Africa weather this deadly cultural storm?
Who better to advise the African people at this critical time than Professor Alvaré?
Dearest brothers, sisters and friends, I give you Professor Helen Alvaré- wife, mother, renowned writer, speaker and Law professor…
INTERVIEW
Obianuju Ekeocha: Professor Alvaré you are a renowned leader and speaker on women, life and family issues, can you tell us some of the specific disturbing cultural changes and challenges (especially on women, life and family issues) that you have seen over the years in the western world ?
Professor Helen Alvaré: This is a topic big enough for a long book, but in ultra-short form, I guess I would say that the challenges on women, life and family are as follows:
– a loss of a sense of identity as male or female in relation to being made in God’s image, and therefore a loss of a clear understanding of norms and goals, and how to interrelate with persons of the opposite sex in a way that respects, equality, dignity, and complementarity
– materialism, leading people to value things of the world more than things of God, or other persons’ needs
– the unwillingness of the most privileged to consider the family needs of the less privileged; this is paired with the tendency of the most-privileged to offer only the “don’t have children” “solution” to poverty to the lesser privileged
– the loss of the understanding of obligations as preceding rights in the family context. Family members are GIVEN to one another for mutual care. But too often today, the notion that we CHOOSE who will be the family for which we care..has taken hold
Obianuju Ekeocha: In addition to being a well known speaker, you have also been involved at some the past significant international gatherings and discussions on these women, life and family issues. Can you tell us about some of these gatherings and
about what role you played in presenting the pro-family and pro-life view?
Professor Helen Alvaré: Generally, I am there as an academic, as a law professor with years of writing on family law and religion behind me…as someone who thinks about the intersection of these matters. I am sometimes there as a Catholic woman who has worked in and for the Church for many years, and has thought about matters concerning women, life and family….and increasingly the importance of religious freedom. But I have also come to understand that, especially for the women there, I am there as a personal witness to the freedom and happiness of a life lived involved with the message of Christ, and trying to figure out how to live that as a layperson, a mother and a professional seeking to contribute via expertise in her field
Obianuju Ekeocha: In your many international engagements and involvements, what is your perception of the African nations (as far as sanctity of life-related, marriage-related and even women empowerment policies are concerned)?
Professor Helen Alvaré: It is not an exaggeration that I thank God for Africa…the witness of the African people. It is part of salvation history, nothing less, that Africa is adding its unique, its moving, its joyful voice to the chorus of Christian Catholics who have spoken throughout history. It is wonderful to have Africa as an ally at international conferences regarding the intrinsic importance of marriage and family and parenting ties. On women’s empowerment, I am less up-to-speed on the African situation, but it is my limited understanding that the Church stands to play an important role is helping Africa develop FOR AFRICA, not FOR A WESTERN VISION OF AFRICA ( A western vision dominated by UN-style gender ideology and reproductive rights) a vision of women’s empowerment faithful to human nature, to women’s equal dignity and competencies both inside and outside the home, and to relational harmony between men and women.
Obianuju Ekeocha: Professor Alvaré have you noticed any movement from the developed countries to spread or globalise the new and emergent moral cultural change?
Professor Helen Alvaré: There is clearly a strong move on the part of developed countries to “marry” the message of women’s empowerment (which is good), with an awful (bad!) program to breed gender-distrust between men and women, to separate sex from procreation and from marriage, and to disestablish family ties – from parent-child ties to extended family ties. This is clear from the substance of various UN proposals, whether back in Cairo and Beijing, or today at meetings such as the Commission on the Status of Women or the MDG meetings. There is further a tendency to sweep all non-western cultures and all religions into a box marked “unfriendly to women” And make no distinctions between practices conducive to women’s flourishing in these cultures and religions, and practices NOT so conducive.
Obianuju Ekeocha: Professor Alvaré, You are American, what are some of the detriments and damages in your country (especially on women and young girls) of this new and emergent culture that has in fact been described by Pope John II as the “Culture of Death”?
Professor Helen Alvaré: a primary one, about which I have written a great deal, is the abrogating of what is essential to the woman and girl, which is her ability to exercise her gift or capacity for the human person. This has been expressly denied or at least placed under suspicion by some versions of feminism which have declared that her freedom lies in : breaking relations with God, denying the possibility of truth, avoiding suffering or sacrifice at all costs, and refusing solidarity with human life, especially the weakest, or any which might claim dependence upon her. It was promised that walling herself off from human beings and human life, would bring freedom, but of course it has produced the opposite. Now, when life, including sexual relations is “all about me,” it turns out it brings no utopia of relationships, or perfect sex, or family happiness …but loneliness, convoluted relations, and objectification of herself and others. In particular, the contraceptive and abortion culture has led to a situation in which sex outside of marriage or any “commitment” is the norm, and if one woman won’t go along another will. This is due to the “risk compensation” effect whereby people believe pregnancy is “insured against” due to contraception and abortion. But, ironically, because of that effect, greater availability of contraception and abortion has actually led to MORE not less nonmarital pregnancy, MORE not less sexually transmitted infection and MORE not less abortion, divorce, cohabitation, and broken relations.
Obianuju Ekeocha: From all that you have studied, seen, and known , from your wealth of experience and expertise, what is your advice, suggestion and recommendation to the African people and their leaders who are now being pressured,prodded and pushed to adopt this new emergent morally-deficient culture that inevitably entails the wide-spread use of contraception, the right to abortion and the elevation of “sexual freedom” over religious freedom?
Professor Helen Alvaré: Fight “tooth and nail” against it. Do not be afraid to make western powers feel “guilty” for the attempt to destroy African cultures. Beneath the surface, they know there is reason for guilt… and this needs to be surfaced and named. Call them out on their failure to allow African wisdom and experience to LEAD the way, versus get brushed aside in favor of the imposition of a model truly alien to Africa.
AT THE SAME TIME, be the continent who does what others have failed to do!! Embrace a vision of women’s empowerment, and equality and dignity AND men’s empowerment and equality and dignity which is as true to nature and common sense as it is true to Christianity: a model which rejects killing the vulnerable – old or young or sick; rejects casting children and the elderly as the “enemy”; rejects reducing sex to sports; but also seeks with good faith to discover women’s and men’s competencies and gifts BOTH inside and outside the home and BOTH alone and together. Presently, the reigning model for women’s empowerment does not know how to do these things. AFRICA has the chance to show us all the way. It would be a great gift to the international community, to women and men and families, and to the Church.
Obianuju Ekeocha: On behalf of millions of African women and men I thank you Professor Alvaré for your excellent, exceptional,extensive and on-going work to promote authentic feminism, motherhood and the development of women around the world.
Reprinted with permission from Culture of Life Africa