In Focus - Dignity of Woman ( April 2026 )

In Focus

Title: The Dignity of Woman 

Intro

TOB educator Nicholas Koeppel reflects upon Pope John Paul II’s document on the dignity and vocation of women.

Article

I recently attended a weeklong course on the Writings of St John Paul II on Gender, Marriage and Family at the Theology of the Body Institute in Pennsylvania, USA. One of the documents written by St John Paull II is called Mulieris Dignitatem, which means, ‘On the Dignity of Woman.’ It is amazing how a celibate man, Pope St John Paul II, had such profound insights into what it means to be a woman, the nature of marriage and sexuality. The writings John Paul II gave to the Church are a wonderful gift that still needs to be unpacked and understood, and most importantly ‘lived out’. 

When I think about what the dignity of woman means, I think about the God given dignity He has given to each person, each of us, for a number of reasons. First, we have dignity as humans because God created us ‘in the image of God,’ as Genesis tells us. Secondly, because Christ died and rose for us, He ‘purchased us at a price,’ and so this also raises our dignity. Thirdly, St Paul tells us that we are ‘Temples of the Holy Spirit’ and this again raises our dignity. Finally, the ‘Word made flesh,’ the Incarnation, the historical fact of God becoming human as a baby in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago, raises our dignity too. St Irenaeus said, ‘God became man so that man might become God.’ By becoming human, God raised the level of human dignity. 

Because of this dignity, this should shape the way we behave and treat others and the way we treat ourselves. The dignity of the human person requires that I treat every person according to their dignity – this means EVERY person, no matter if they are rich or poor, black or white or brown, male or female – each person deserves this respect and love. In fact, Karol Wojtyla (JPII before he was Pope), wrote that the only adequate and just way we should treat any human person is love. Love given to a person is a matter of justice, it is what they are owed. 

The dignity of the human person is then applied to the dignity of woman. What does it mean to be a woman? What is the meaning of femininity (we could also ask the same about masculinity)? To know this answer, we should look at the nature of femininity, we should look to the body to ‘reveal the invisible’ reality and meaning of femininity. 

The body of a woman reveals something of ‘receptivity’ – this is seen in the spousal meaning of the body that we all exist in as male or female. The body reveals to us that we are not made to be alone, but that we are made for relationship and communion. This is what John Paul II calls the spousal meaning of the body. So for a woman, her spousal meaning of the body reveals receptivity. This receptivity is an aspect of our humanity common to both men and women. We are receptive and dependent on God the creator for everything. As a creature, God gives us every good thing we have as a gift, and for this we should have a constant attitude of gratitude. 

The woman’s body also reveals a nurturing aspect. A baby feeding at the breast of a woman. This shows us the call of woman to give and be nurturing to others, to her children, to those in her life. To make a sincere ‘gift of self,’ in order that she may find herself. John Paul II, in Mulieris Dignitatem, refers to a specific ‘feminine genius’ that a woman has. This gift of femininity is needed in all aspects of society, from business to Church, from the home to the public square; the gift of femininity is needed to complement and balance the gift of masculinity. We could also say that men have masculine genius, or a particular gift God has given to men, a way to be and to behave.

John Paul II says the ‘duty of every man is the dignity of every woman, and the duty of every woman is the dignity of every man.’ How do we live this out in daily life? How do we treat the women in our lives, our mothers, our sisters, our friends, our classmates, our colleagues? Do we love them according to their dignity and worth given by God? Treating each other according to human dignity is the task of every married couple, all throughout their married life. It is also the task of dating couples, who respect the dignity of their partner through a dating life of chastity. When we can better understand the dignity of each human person, and specifically the dignity of women, this can help us in how we treat and behave towards one another. May the truth of the dignity of woman, enable us to love one another better, and so walk together towards heaven. 

Finally, we should keep in mind our Blessed Mother Mary, this woman of Nazareth chosen by God to be the Mother of God. Mary shows us the true meaning of femininity in her humility, receptivity, nurturing love and obedience to the plan of God. She shows us the way to be a disciple of Jesus. Mary teaches us a receptivity to the plan of God, an openness and servant attitude of following God’s will. May Mary intercede for all of us, for our mothers, for our sisters, our friends, that we may see and value the great dignity of woman and treat one another accordingly.

Author Profile

Nicholas Koeppel grew up in southeast Missouri, USA. Since 2020, he has served on the leadership team for Theology of the Body Educators, seeking to teach and share TOB all over the world. In 2025, he began working fulltime for TOB Educators as Executive Director and TOB Missionary, living in Krakow, Poland, and seeking to share St John Paul II’s message with people anywhere in the world.