GenderREL3167TaoExample

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1 Taoism and Gender Equality Brooke Casey, Dulce Hernandez, Lilly Huizar, Morgan Anderson, Spuritha Bhandaru University of South Florida REL 3167: Sustainable Development and Religion Mr. Don Saunders April 2, 2023

2 Introduction In this rapidly growing world, it is important for us to understand how differences have led to disparity and become obstacles to growth. One major field that requires particular attention is gender. The need for gender equality is not new, yet it is always a necessity. The 5th United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UNSDG, n.d.), “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls,” emphasizes current global inequalities and establishes guidelines for achieving equality. To tackle this problem, several religion-based and faith-based organizations have started addressing equality. This paper specifically focuses on how Taoism and Taoist organizations are making an effort to bridge the gap to build gender equality, with concentration on issues in Tampa and Florida. The paper starts with an introduction to Taoism and its principles and moves on to its views on gender equality and how FBOs are addressing the local issues. Description of Taoism Harmony is the basis of happiness, according to Taoism, a religion that maintains outstanding principles and ideals. Some people can compare it to other religions such as Buddhism and Confucianism, which actively pursue a path of harmony and peace. The spiritual and intellectual heritage of Taoism is grounded in nature, worship, and divination. Although Taoism has no distinct founder or date of origin, its upbringing came from China and has since spread to other East Asian Countries. From the time around the third or fourth BCE, it has been linked to the Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu. Even though Lao was considered to be a philosopher, due to the scarcity of information about him, some people thought he was a god or perhaps another type of deity. Lao published a book called Tao Te Ching, which translates to “the way of integrity” or “the way and its power.”

3 Within its verses, T ao Te Ching offers a dissertation on how to live in the world with decency and integrity. The fundamental principles of Taoism simplicity, patience, and compassion simply go hand in hand with this. Violence would decrease if more individuals embraced and advocated for peace. A recognizable symbol that affiliates with Taoism is yin and yang, two colons connected with one side being white and the other black. Its contrasting hues are meant to symbolize the harmony between conflicting energies, for instance, light and dark, feminine and masculine, life and death, and so forth. There are no intentions of discrimination but rather an understanding of the differences to unify a community. With this in mind, Taoists must learn to live in harmony with nature and respect it as a deity due to its contribution to their communities. In other words, lead your own life while avoiding interfering with nature. Should a person try to disrupt this balance, “he would disrupt the harmony that already exists, he would go against the flow of life” (Gehrmann, 2015). Once after death, Taoist spirits can dwell in spiritual immortality by blending in with nature before their souls join the universe. As previously stated, Taoism is similar to Buddhism and Confucianism as they all have Chinese roots and similar teachings and rituals. Taoists seek to liberate themselves from society and realign it with the more fundamental natural order, Buddhists ultimately seek to liberate the self by dissolving all forms of order, and Confucianism places the self hierarchically within social order (Meulenbeld, 2019). To practice mindfulness and be in tune with their spirituality, followers of these religions cultivate meditation. During meditation, Taoists will start with a clear mind and then focus on things that will bring them luck or fortune, or do some internal reflections. Buddhist meditation focuses on breathing and giving good vibes to those who one feels good about, who one has no opinion of,

4 and who one does not particularly like. Confucianism is a mixture of these practices where essentially, they are finding their internal-peaceful state while “letting go and allowing God to work” ( Worldmark Encyclopedia of religious practices , n.d.). How Taoism views gender & equality Taoism, a religious tradition originating in China, has been the topic of discussion regarding its approach toward gender equality. While the teachings of Taoism emphasize the importance of balance and harmony between the yin and yang, which represent the feminine and masculine energies, there have been concerns about gender inequality. This section will focus solely on gender equality and inequality in Taoism. The traditional Chinese culture has been patriarchal, and this has impacted the Taoist approach to gender. Historically, women were expected to conform to gender roles that centered around domestic duties and were excluded from positions of power and influence. Taoist texts also emphasized the importance of the male role in spiritual development and suggested that women should focus on domestic duties. This cultural context has influenced Taoist practices and teachings, which have been criticized for preserving gender inequality. Furthermore, Taoist sexual practices have also been criticized for objectifying women and promoting male dominance. Many argue that these practices, based on the principles of yin and yang, have been used to justify male dominance in sexual relationships; however, Taoism also has the potential to promote gender equality and empowerment. Taoist teachings emphasize the importance of self-cultivation, humility, and compassion, which are qualities that can be developed by both men and women. Many Taoist practices such as meditation and tai chi are accessible to both genders and can promote physical and mental well-being.

5 In recent years, there have been efforts to promote gender equality and challenge traditional gender roles in Taoism. For instance, female Taoist scholars have challenged traditional interpretations of Taoist texts and practices that have historically excluded women from positions of power and influence. They argue that a more inclusive and egalitarian approach is necessary to achieve gender equality in Taoism. Many Taoist associations aim to promote the study and practice of Taoism among women, support female Taoist priests and teachers, and challenge traditional gender roles in Taoism. Through these efforts, gender equality in Taoism is gradually gaining traction. The International Taoist Tai Chi Society is an example of a group that is actively promoting gender equality within its community and teachings. The organization has a Women's Committee that aims to "empower and support women in their Tai Chi practice and in their lives" (Taoist Tai Chi Society, 2023). The committee hosts workshops, seminars, and conferences that address gender issues and promote inclusivity within the Taoist Tai Chi community. However, there is still much work to be done to address gender inequality within Taoism. The tradition continues to be influenced by societal and cultural factors that have led to the marginalization of women in many aspects of practice and leadership. It is important for practitioners and scholars to continue to examine the teachings of the tradition and work towards greater inclusivity and gender equality. While Taoism has been criticized for perpetuating gender inequality, it also has the potential to promote gender equality and empowerment. Efforts to promote gender equality in Taoism have gained momentum in recent years, with female Taoist scholars challenging traditional gender roles in Taoism. The significance of these efforts in promoting gender equality within Taoism is undeniable.

6 Local issues concerning UNSDG 5 There are several local concerns in the Tampa and Florida communities that go against the targets of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal on Gender Equality. Currently, the Florida government is looking to pass a bill that severely limits access to safe abortions in almost all circumstances for women. Though there are exceptions for women who become pregnant due to rape and incest, there are strict guidelines that require the women to provide “evidence.” These processes often take too long to meet the approved time for her to get an abortion, and they are discriminatory because it re-traumatizes the women from the gender-based violence they previously faced. Additionally, Hillsborough County has the highest rate of all Florida counties in denying teenage girls abortions (Ellenbogen, 2023). The proposal and likely passage of this law goes against target 5.6 of UNSDG 5: “Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights.” This target calls for women between the ages 15-49 to be able to make their own medical decisions on reproductive health care. The inability to receive safe abortions in Florida goes against this target because women and girls lose autonomy over their health, body, and future. This issue in Florida can be linked to the lack of female representation in state and federal politics. Of the 27 U.S. Representatives in the House from Florida, only eight are women. No U.S. Senators from Florida have been women (IWPR, 2020). Further, only 41.3% of state legislature seats in FL are held by women (CAWP, 2023). Minimal female representation in state and federal legislatures means laws that affect women are not often written by women. Because of this, women are impacted by laws (such as abortion access) that they did not approve the passage of. Their interests are not being protected because representation is not there, and the majority male lawmakers have not personally experienced women’s issues. This is why the UN has established target 5.5: “Ensure women’s

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