Michelle Obama and the headdress

In her recent visit with the Pope, Michelle Obama wore a black headdress. As it turns out, its tradition for women to wear a black mantilla when in the presence of the pope as a sign of respect (Catholic Queens are allowed the privilege of wearing a white mantilla when in the papal presence). Apparently, men do not have the same duty of respect to the Pope as do women. Many first ladies have worn such mantillas when meeting the Pope, including Jackie Kennedy, Laura Bush, and Nancy Reagan. Hillary Clinton went without such a headdress when she met the Pope.

The Christian origins of women covering their heads stems from 1 Corinthians 11:3-9.

3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.
9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

According to the Bible, women were created for men and as the glory of man, but man is the image and glory of God. According to this passage, it is also shameful for women to have short hair or shaven heads. It is noteworthy that this passage only commands women to cover their heads when praying, but Canon law took the passage a step further. The The 1917 Code of Canon Law states: "...women, however, should be with head covered and modestly dressed, ..."

It's no secret that women are given the short end of the stick when it comes to the Bible (or at least according to the translations). They rank barely above children in the Grand Heirarchy. The headdress Michelle Obama wore places women as second class citizens--doomed to eternal subservience based solely on the fact they were born with two X chromosomes instead of one.

A large part of me is disappointed that Michelle Obama bowed to this symbol of gender subordination. While I realize she was likely just trying to show respect and humility, I believe those are qualities equally laudible for men to demonstrate. To require a woman, but not a man, to cover his head in the presence of the Pope is just as oppressive as requiring a black person to sit in the back of a bus.

My hat goes off to Hillary Clinton for refusing to glorify this sexist practice. While I do not agree with her on many issues, this is one where I must stand up and applaud.