7.3.2: Patriarchy and gender inequality in religion

patriarchy and women in conservative religions

• conservative religions seen as most oppressive types of religion

• fundamentalism and eangelicalism

  • advocate traditional morality and importance of domestic role and modesty

  • seen as patriarchal

• catholicism

  • strict rules governing men and women’s sexuality

  • strict rules concerning women sexuality even within approved relationships

• evidence of women finding space within religions to develop their own ideas or further their own interests

• gilliat-ray

islam and the veil

• controversial topic

• rinaldo

• watson

• can be seen as the assertion of independence, separate identity and rejects western cultural imperialism

• a part of the search for an indeginious islamic form of protest against patriarchy in society

do more recent forms of religiosity' reflect patriarchal idelogy?

• new forms of recent religions make it difficult to make generalisations about the extent to which they perpetuate ideas which oppress women

• new religious movements:

  • not easy to compare

  • vary considerably when it comes to gender

  • palmer

  • minority of new religious movements offer opportunities for greater experimentation with gender roles

  • some might sought to challenge patriarchal assumptions

• pentecostalism:

  • brusco

• new age movements:

  • appear to attract women more than men

  • york

  • Eller

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