Gender, Ritual And Reality By Marla N. Powers

Throughout the readings of North American myths I noticed many similar themes throughout them. I had expected the closeness of man and nature to be prevalent based on my prior knowledge. What I had not expected, however, was the value of women. In our prior reading for this class, women have been seen as week, ornamental figures. In these North American myths women played a huge role in the creation of the earth as it is. At times the men were even seen as less then the women. For this reflection I will be focusing on the Huron myth of “The Making of the World.”

The Sonqo people and the Yanomamo people had their differences, but in the end were a lot more alike than you would think. They both portrayed gender distinctions in everything they did. One gender was always superior than the other, in this case the men seemed to be. Men were always the high and almighty, given way more power than women. As I read more, I began to find some answers as to why this might be so. Each group, the Sonqos and Yanomamos, have their own beliefs and their own way of organizing their pack. This all is different for each group depending on the natural environment they were brought up in and continue to live in. It was very interesting to learn more about these two groups and to see what they all had in common and what they did differently. I enjoyed searching for the frequently asked question as to why they do what they do and if there is any meaning behind it. In the paragraphs to follow, I will be talking more about why gender distinctions develop and also how different environments can shape who you become as an individual and as an united community.

While the relationships of the Oglala Sioux are not so different from the modern family relationships we see today, the relationships between adults and children, as well as men and women, were very strong and close given that each relationship affected members by helping them in different ways. This was shown in the teachings passed from parents to children, in the compassion of the Oglala Sioux in all of their dealings, the respect of all members towards each other and nature, and finally, in the love exhibited by members of the entire tribe during their tribulations.

Are religious dogma steeped in sexism or misogynistic? Throughout history, men’s and women’s roles in societies have persisted to be distinct, yet complementary in the progression and prosperity for the societies. Both genders have distinct roles, whereas women are perceived mothers, nurturers, homemakers, etc., while men are the protectors, workhorses, providers, etc. While each hold such important roles, yet women are commonly underrepresented, and underappreciated. It is curious that several religiously based texts propagate the patriarchal societal construct to shape and control relationships and societal order. The question arises, “what common gender relationships are established by the Indian and Arab Empires through their religious

The holy book such as the Bible, Torah and the Qur’an suggest that religion has been around since the existence of man. Both man and woman have made an enormous contribution to the development of religion and both have believed in the higher power as the reason for their existence. With the distinct variation of religion man and women have different roles on their distinct spirituality. However, as seen in the society, men have the same superiority over a woman in religion. Major world religions have excessively diminished women to a degree seeing them as simple helpers of the men. In major religions, women do not have a voice in the place of worship, and they are urged to be subordinate to their husbands. The idea of women as helpers is

Gender discrimination has been prevalent in the society since many years. Women have been the subjects of this discrimination in almost every sector. One sector where women have been made to feel inferior to men is religion. Almost every religion in the world suppresses and condemns women. As a result, men who have such religious beliefs have not utilized the abilities and talents of women. Thus through my research paper, I will talk about women’s discrimination in seven main traditions of world religion: Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Confucianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. I will compare these religions in terms of “1) male and female in cosmic order, and good and evil 2) purity and impurity 3) education, teaching, and religious leadership 4) asceticism and monasticism 5) marriage, divorce and widowhood 6) dress, body and segregation” . I will also talk about the way women’s status has been rationalized and how this has generated fundamentalist backlash in these religions.

Women in Islam are constantly viewed, from the Western standpoint, as a suppressed culture. Though this may be true to certain extents, such as not mixing in with the men at mosque, we can find that generally, the Islamic woman is well respected and held in high regard. “Women in Islam are; mothers, sisters, partners, workers, scholars and business owners and managers” (al-Hashimi 4). Within this research paper, we will review the role of a woman in Islam and their daily source of happiness.

The status of women in a society is a significant reflection of the level of social justice in that society. In the literature, women’s status is commonly described in terms of their education, income, employment, health, fertility, etc. somewhere it has shown thattheir roles within family, community and society also. But if we are talking about tribal communities, the role playing by women is crucial and substantial.

These issues have also escalated in religion. Religiously inspired gender inequality is usually manifested through the privileges and opportunities which are granted based on an individual’s gender. Specifically, gender inequality has been made apparent in religion through the gendered institutions, gendered identities, gendered interactions, and gender ideologies. Patriarchal church leaderships are clear signs of how deep gender inequality has been integrated into religion (Shepard 413). Women are given less leadership roles compared to men, and sometimes are not even considered at all in any decision making process. Such acts are clear indicators of how gender inequality is negatively affecting the society. Actually, it is quite saddening that even the most respected aspects of the society (such as religion) are participating in these ‘tainted’ acts. Religion is meant to enforce religious-based norms and morals, and in fact, it should be rock-steady in the fight against gender equality.

The issue concerning women’s rights has been an issue for at least the past 100 years. However, the concern has been a growing topic across all fields, including that of religion. Historically, women within the three Abrahamic religions have been “systematically excluded,” in both traditional life and in their scriptures (Harrison 145). These religions have been known to be highly patriarchal, and have excluded women from taking part in important aspects of everyday life. Yet, this doesn’t mean that the religions can’t transform and adapt. Since modern life has changed drastically, there have been more of a concern for lifestyles to adapt. However, there are stereotypes that exist stating that some religions can’t reform to the new modern standards,

At the beginning of this semester, we were required to write a reflection on our then-current knowledge of religion, women, and gender. I had very little knowledge of any religions other than Christianity because that is the religion I was raised in and continue to practice. As for women in religion, I also didn’t know much about except for Christianity, and even the extent of my knowledge in that area was limited. In reflection, after hearing several women from different religions speak as well as learning from texts and the professor, I have gained knowledge and perspective of women in religion.

Religion has been part of our lives for some 2,000 years. Philosophers, kings, Queens, Politicians, and ordinary individuals have explored the positive and negative contributions, which religion has had towards humanity. As we examine the impact of religion on us as part of a community and as individuals, we realize that in one way or another, religion helped to form concepts that harmed a group of people that were and still are massively relevant to the practices of such belief. Although women were allowed and are allowed to practice religion independently of the faith, many taboos were created that challenged the validity and credential of such practice. In medieval times and colonial Latin America, many women were questioned about the methods they used to communicate with God. Many women became the subject to be criticized, accused, expelled, and impelled by society, which with the help of their misunderstanding of the practices of religion, was responsible for depriving women who only had a different way of relating to God. One may argue that the reason why these women were accused of practicing religion in an “inappropriate” way was because of the lack of understanding of the word religion and how it should be practiced.

In ancient India, women occupied a very important position, a superior position to men. To understand the position of women in Hinduism, we must recognize the Hindu scriptures guidelines to a woman’s position in Hindu society, but fail to address some roles of a Hindu woman specifically. This vague generalization of a woman’s role in the religious spectrum leaves open interpretation for the woman. Conflict arises when women are criticized by men, for the way they interpret the guidelines. Critically, we begin with the Hindu scriptures, because it is the heart and source of their cultural norms which can be perceived as an expression of the perceptions of the way of life. Scriptures of Hinduism hold the highest authority towards women

In every religion, male and females have different statuses. Although, we are taught to treat everyone with equal respect, some religions fail to acknowledge that every person, whether male or female are a creation of God. Ideally, God has created man and women for different purposes. There are also many rules and regulations listed for both genders, which bring up the differences and helps us identify the importance of both in this world. Even in today’s time we see that females struggle with wages. Some people think that living in the 21st century means that everything is well balanced and everyone is treated equally. However, even in today’s time there is a division between genders not in

Culture can be defined as “learned patterns of perception, values, and behaviours, shared by a group of people, that are dynamic and heterogeneous “(Martin & Nakayama, pg 32). The purpose of this paper is to present research on a conflict involving different cultural groups. The paper will integrate library research as well as focus on two specific aspects of conflict for my research. Those aspects will be; the history of the relationships between cultural groups and culture conceptions of women. The war in Kashmir is the cultural conflict I have chosen to research.