When you visualize Christ's Last Supper with the apostles, what does Christ and the apostles look like?

For Renee Cox, an African-American artist, she visualized Christ at the Last Supper as a nude black woman. Apparently, this is unacceptable to some individuals Ñ namely the New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

And how did Giuliani describe the work by Cox entitled "Yo Mama's Last Supper" which was displayed at the Brooklyn Museum of Art? His take on the artwork was, "disgusting," "anti-Catholic" and "outrageous." He also proposed setting up a committee to set "standards of decency" to regulate what kind of work is displayed at museums receiving public funds.

Giuliani and the rest of the individuals who are in an uproar over Cox's work are entitled to their opinion, but I think that anti-Catholicism is not at the root of their protests over Cox's nude black Christ. This is misogyny in full force and is indicative of the anti-woman discourse that pervades our society. The anti-Catholicism complaint is an attempt to disguise the sexism in these comments.

When I heard Giuliani's comments over the artwork, I was confused at why he chose to label the work "anti-Catholic." I've always been taught that Christ looks like whatever I want Her to look like. For me, Christ is a woman because I can relate best to that image. Christ is routinely portrayed in primarily black churches as being black.

Interestingly enough, according to an article in The New York Times, a work that portrayed Christ at the Last Supper that was exhibited earlier at the same museum (the Brooklyn Museum of Art) did not raise the ire of Giuliani nor garner any sort of comment. Perhaps then it is the race of the Christ figure in Cox's work that bothered Giuliani.

Whether it is the race, sex, or perhaps both of Cox's image of Christ that disturbs Giuliani, it is clear that he and others upset over Cox's work are threatened because the image of Christ as a black woman challenges the white-male discourse that dominates Catholicism.

It's sad that Giuliani cannot see or fathom thinking of Christ as anything other than a white male. Although if he is best able to relate to Christ as a white male, that is his prerogative. However, he should not then call a woman's artwork "outrageous" "disgusting" and "anti-Catholic" when she chooses to visualize Christ as anything other than a white male. As for the "standards of decency" committee that Giuliani wishes to put in place, whose standards will these be? According to Giuliani's standards, Cox's work would not make the cut. Why is it that a nude black woman portrayed as Christ is indecent?

A news flash for Giuliani: White men do not have the monopoly and final say on how people choose to visualize Christ.

When I think of who is at the table in my vision of the Last Supper with Christ, I embrace the idea of Christ as a woman. And I am sure that She would welcome Giuliani and any others at Her table. If the Church truly strives to be inclusive, then Christ — whether male or female, and of any race — should be welcomed.

• Who's at your table?