Overcoming the Violence of “Virtuous” Womanhood: Liberating Women from the Proverbs 31 Paradigm

“Who can find a virtuous woman?” (Prov. 31:10 KJV). My entire life, I have heard and read messages about the “virtuous” woman, as depicted in Proverbs 31:10–31. Though many herald this character standard for godly women, her portrayal problematic. She is one-dimensional worker bee, never engaged rest, recreation, or relationship building. Further, spiritual location formation go unmentioned. How did such limited illustration become religious paradigm by which women girls are measured? At its root white supremacist, patriarchal, capitalistic misogyny (WSPCM), employed churches to consign “safe”, secondary status while still using them workhorses sources of income keep institutions viable. Once internalized, bear crushing weight an unhealthy, unattainable achievement, struggling fictitious, unrealistic figure. In article, refute WSPCM interpretation 31 woman faithful, Spirit-filled offering instead liberative grounded womanist hermeneutics, ethics, spirituality. This approach provides critique corrective oppressive, erroneous, dangerous interpretations “virtue” “womanhood” that do violence female personhood, especially name religion.