The recent sex abuse crisis surrounding the Roman Catholic Church has opened up a forum of discussion. Protesters are calling for priesthood to be opened up to women and to withdrawal all celibacy requirements.

Our generation has grown up in a world where we are taught, despite race or gender, we can grow up to be anything we want to be. It’s the American dream, right? So why does the Catholic Church refuse to allow the ordainment of women? It is time for a change. It is time for women to be allowed every right and opportunity that a man is given, and it is time for the church to recognize women having a calling to become ordained. Women as well as men deserve the right to serve the church if they believe they are meant to.

Although many groups are pushing for women to become ordained, many are also pushing to remove the celibacy codes for priests. While both are valid changes that the Catholic Church should carefully consider, advocates should focus on the issue of first allowing women to be accepted into the ranks of priesthood.

Although altering the tradition of a male leading mass will take effort, especially as they aim to reverse thousands of years of tradition and doctrine, leaders of these groups are making the first steps in the right direction. Let us remember that it was in 1974 when women were first accepted into Texas A&M and it was because of advocates fighting for equal acceptance. If we are to one day tell our daughters that they will be able to grow up and become anything they wish to be, shouldn’t it be the truth?