B Feminism Flashcards
Patriarchy
Religious Organisations
Sacred Texts
Places of Worship
Laws
Women are seen as dangerous as they pollute religious rituals. They also are a distraction for men
Women are excluded from the religious hierarchy so are allowed to play religious roles
Introduction of gender-neutral language
Armstrong
Decline of the goddess
Women were seen as closer to nature
The earth produced plants and nourished them like a women creates a child and feed them from her body
Male aggressive spirituality took over
Turned to monotheism (one god) rather than polytheism
Daly
Christianity is a myth
The Christian story eliminated other goddess religions
Christianity embodies women-hating with its ‘torture cross symbol’
De Beauvoir
Oppression - way for men to control women Compensated women for their second class status. Gives them false belief that they will experience equality in heaven
El Saadawi
Men wrote the scriptures and interpreted all gods messages. This is has enabled men to use religion as an abuse of power
Woodhead
There is ‘religious forms of feminism’ - says in which women use religion to gain greater freedom and respect
Hijab/veil - may be liberating
Watson
The veil is very individualised, and can’t be generalised as simply oppressive
Cohen and Kennedy
The desire to restore fundamentalist religious values and social practices is associated with the fear that any increase in women’s freedom of choice and action will undermine the foundations of tradition, religion, morality and male control
