Help Me

So, a few times in class we've very briefly discussed the topic of Eve being created as a "help me" for Adam. And naturally we like to pick that out and say "Oh look! The Bible is being sexist." Eve was created from one of Adam's ribs, and we for some reason take that as a sexist thing. Let me pose the question that if Eve was created first and Adam made out of one of her ribs would it still be considered sexist?

Anyway, back to Eve being Adam's "help me." I tend to hear people say that this portrays Eve as subordinate or submissive to Adam. But to me, I find it quite the opposite. For example, remember in grade school when you were having trouble with a math problem or something along those lines? You would raise your hand as a signal of "help me" to your teacher for them to come and help you. In that case, your teacher was your "help me." Did that make your teacher submissive to you? If anything, the helper is above the helped.

Unlike the other animals in the garden that Adam was 'put in charge of,' Eve is created to 'help' Adam. If Eve was created as 'less' then Adam, then Adam would have been put in charge of her like he was the other creatures in the garden.