This was powerful and I'm thrilled that our recent discussions sparked it. I completely agree that the issue is power structures and the hierarchy that is inherent in the major religions of the world. Men have benefited (intentionally or unintentionally) from those power structures and still do, which is why they are the ones needed to truly help to dismantle them. The fact of the matter is, men will listen to other men before they will truly listen to women.

As a side note, I am a shamanic practitioner and healer, so we have that aspect in common of having found a spiritual path that is nourishing in shamanism. Perhaps a topic for another discussion...