Female Supremacy Articles - Page 17

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"I knew at that point, because of my own faith convictions, that if I were asked to do a holy union I would and I have," she said.

She left the United Methodist denomination for the United Church of Christ denomination and became the first female pastor of the Federated Church in Sycamore.

"It was the right time and the right congregation," Root said.

She is very happy at Federated Church. "This is a very open church, very embracing of diversity," she said.

Still as a woman in a leadership position she faces some opposition because of her gender.

"We’re still not at the place where women are as easily affirmed in the ministry as men," Root said.

The Federated Church is the third church in which Root served as the first female pastor.

"There’s the undertone of sexism in leadership roles for women in the church, I don’t think however that that is different than the same kind of sexism and resistance to leadership outside the church," she said.

Pastor Jane Eesley of the First United Methodist Church in DeKalb echoes these sentiments. She said although there is no direct rejection, there are indirect comments made.

It’s just something women have to deal with when working within a traditionally male field, Eesley said.

Colette Morrow , an associate professor at Purdue University Calumet and a visiting women’s studies professor at NIU, said when women go outside their traditional roles, there is a certain discomfort expressed by society.