Do ISKCON women now have equal rights with sannyasis?

11-11-1999, 10:39 PM

Below is an excerpt from a letter to HH Gopala Krsna Maharaja, re. the
recent Executive order issued to the devotees in Vrindavana.

>Date: Tue, 9 Nov 1999 19:03:20 -0500
>To: Gopala Krishna Maharaja
>From: btb (AT) georgian (DOT) net
>Subject: Executive Order

snip

>I do have a concern I would like to present to you for clarification on.
>Just recently, we heard the disturbing news about the Vrindavana temple
>where some women devotees had been pushed around by some of the men. We
>were waiting to hear the GBC make a statement on the matter and yesterday,
>someone sent us a copy of the Executive Committee's statement on the
>situation there. We were informed that you are a member of the EC. What
>concerns me, and some of our friends, is not the GBC's objection to the
>alleged manhandling, but their condemnation of any and all preference for
>men. This doesn't make any sense to me as far as Vaisnava etiquette goes.
>Prabhupada describes the "male prerogative" as a sastric principle that
>guides male and female relationships. Yet, it appears the GBC is
>contradicting this principle by the following order:
>
>>The GBC will not tolerate any mistreatment of female devotees,
>>discrimination against female devotees, or **preferential treatment >given
>>to male devotees in any form.**
>>
>>This is an official directive from the GBC Executive Committee.
>>
>>Your servant,
>>Bir Krishna das Goswami
>>Chairman-GBC
>
>I am having a hard time digesting this and was hoping for your
>clarification on the above section dealing with "preferential treatment
>given to male devotees in any form". Does "male devotees" include
>sannyasis? or gurus? or husbands? Should wives not give their husbands any
>"preferential treatment...in any form" including offering their husbands
>prasadam first? Should daughters not show their fathers any "preferential
>treatment"? Even Jahnava Devi showed male devotees preferential treatment
>and She was the Lord's own internal potency. Is there any sastra which
>supports that male devotees NOT be shown any preferential treatment?
>
>Your servant, Sita devi dasi
>