Mixed Messages?

The Church sends positive messages to young women by trying to enforce the teaching that all people are equal- that women are equal to men. In relationships, the teaching that one needs to respect one's partner helps to solidify equality among genders. Healthy relationships require one, especially a woman, to take care of oneself, respect oneself, and truly know that one's life is valuable. Also, the Church should try to send positive messages to young women by helping them to understand the traditions of the faith and allow them to ask questions regarding issues that they're faced with in today's society. Gender complementarity means that men and women complement each other both physically and in personality; one balances out the other and they "become a unit together." But this idea can also serve as a negative message that women are supposed to be one way and men are supposed to be another way. Emily Reimer-Barry thinks that we need more feminist husbands, or men who "recognize their wives as equals, more men who are excited by the idea of mutual give-and-take in relationships relationships and mutual responsibility for work inside and outside the home." These men would send a positive message by way of the Church enforcing equality between the sexes, making it so that wives and husbands share traits, not enforcing stereotypes or adding additional pressure to the partners in the marriage.
There are examples of ways I have been taught, in a Catholic school environment, about what it means to be a woman. One of these ways is constantly being told that women are just as capable, if not more so, as men to do anything in life. If a woman sets her mind to a task or goal, she can achieve great things in life. Essentially, being a woman doesn't hinder you in any way if you don't let it, but does come with some extra responsibility, per say. I have been taught that the "hope of the harvest is in the seed," meaning that educated young women, and men, are going to eventually deal with the fate of the world, deciding the future of society. Also, being a woman may cause one to have struggles and road blocks that men don't have, but it only makes a woman stronger and more determined to overcome future hindrances.
I don't think I have personally received any, but there are some possible negative or 'mixed' messages that can be received. One is the idea of constantly giving to the Church and/or others. If one is constantly told to give, despite the cost on the individual, one could eventually just become a "doormat" for others, which is obviously not a good thing. The idea of giving, especially in a relationship, can lead to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner; worldwide, 30% of all women who have been in a relationship have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner. One would hope that the Church isn't trying to set women up for forming "patterns of accepting abuse." Unlike Jesus, women shouldn't have to suffer through a situation because that's what the savior did. Another 'mixed' message concerns feminists; women who identify themselves as so are looking out for women and trying to bring to the forefront women's concerns and issues. However, feminists aren't usually cited or consulted with on issues concerning women, especially within Church discussions. Women are also not in any positions of leadership or decision making in the Church, and therefore young women who look to the Church only have male figures to turn to for guidance.

Worldwide, 30 percent of all women who have been in a relationship have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partner. - See more at: http://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201405/mixed-messages-what-do-women-hear-church-28862#sthash.1tFxVYtR.dpuf

Worldwide, 30 percent of all women who have been in a relationship have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partner. - See more at: http://www.uscatholic.org/articles/201405/mixed-messages-what-do-women-hear-church-28862#sthash.1tFxVYtR.dpuf