When God fashioned the man - Aelred of Rievaulx

Saint Aelred of Rievaulx

Equality of women is not a new idea. It is just one that has had lots of resistance. Here from the 12 century is the supportive voice of St. Aelred of Rievaulx:

When God fashioned the man, to recommend society as a higher blessing, he said, 'it is not good that the man should be alone; let us make him a helper like himself' ... this power created a woman from the very substance of the man. In a beautiful way, then, from the side of the first human a second was produced, so that nature might teach that all are equal or, as it were, collateral, and that among human beings—and this is a property of friendship—there exists neither superior nor inferior.

- Saint Aelred of Rievaulx (b. 1110–d. 1167) was a writer, historian, and Cistercian abbot in England. This wisdom comes from his work, Spiritual Friendship. His feast day is January 12 — the anniversary of his death.