Stories of Lee: International Women's Month - Victoria Wilcher

"I tend to believe that we as humans, in order to be better than someone, we tend to tear the person down. I believe that we should lift each other up and both get higher together.." - Victoria Wilcher

Meet Victoria Wilcher from Virginia. She is a freshman studying Communication with an Advertising Emphasis.

How do you feel about being a woman on campus and does that affect your daily life?

Victoria: Being a woman on campus, I actually love because there is a lot of us. The ratio is more women and the woman around here are very nice and down to earth. They are women I look up to. They are not in a competition with you as opposed to women around the world. I know there are some underlying beliefs that women are not supposed to be ministers or not supposed to do certain things. Like when they are on stage, they have to be covered completely from shoulders to their feet. I believe women are powerful and they could minister just as a man could.

Have you ever received any kind of discrimination against you here, being a woman?

Victoria: No, not really. I feel like men do not know what to do right now because of the whole equality movement. For example, I have seen some men trying to open the door, trying to be chivalrous, but then it's kind of like 'Oh am I not meant to do that?' 'is chivalry dead?' **I tend to believe that we as humans, in order to be better than someone, we tend to tear the person down. I believe that we should LIFT both up and both get higher together. The whole feminist movement is kind of turning into a thing like, they are tearing men down; saying 'men are dumb, men are stupid' statements because they want to be higher. I feel like we should both elevate each other together. Around campus, I haven't really felt like that, but I do feel like there is a fear to be chivalrous because they aren't really sure the right thing to do.

Tell me one thing you want guys to hear from you?

Victoria: one thing I want them to know is that I don't think they are dumb or can't do anything. Recently, they have taken a kind of beating, because of women trying to rise up to the top. I believe that men are super important because they influence the relationship with God for her children because God is looked at as an "HE" or a "Fatherly Figure". Because of our fathers that tends to project how our relationship with God tends to be. My father is a very awesome Dad, he has shown me a lot of godly characteristics in him, and that's why my relationship with God has flourished tremendously. I feel like it's very important.

What women do you look up to in life or on campus?

Victoria: I really look up to Carolyn Dirksen, I love her especially with her sermon on "loving although instead of loving because!" I love that sermon.I'm in campus choir and I also look up to our Director's wife, Joanna Phillips. She is an incredible and awesome woman.I also look up to Casey Cole, everyone is Pro-Casey Cole, Everyone loves Casey Cole. She looks more in-depth with her answers in theology and she sees the importance of both men and women in the Bible. It is awesome because the Bible does mention a lot of women that in the time period would not have been mentioned. She emphasizes those things, which I think God does a lot. In the New Testament, Jesus emphasizes the things that people don't really look that, like the outcasts. People that were not seen as leaders, or Holy, or clean stuff like that. I love that Casey Cole stands for what she believes in a wise way. It's not a radical kind of 'shove it down the throat kind of thing', it's more of 'Oh have you thought about it this way or that way'. Every answer, she gives is super thought out and wise.

Favorite Bible verse/quotes:

Victoria: Acts 2:25- " I see that the Lord is always with me, I would not be shaken for he is right by my side"I love that just because it's a secure scripture. God doesn't say things are going to be easy but he says He is going to help us with that. The part that talks not being shaken, just shows you how we won't be moved. Just like how some trees are in the storm, they bend, they move but they do not break. I want to be a tree that just bends but does not break under a storm.