Feminism Flashcards
De Beauvoir
Religion is used by the oppressors (men) to control women (oppressed). It compensates women for their second-class status and gives women hope for a sexless afterlife
Daly
Christianity is a patriarchal myth made up to maintain male domination, which it does through sado-rituals and torture symbolism that makes religion the embodiment of women-hating
Armstrong
Women were seen as goddesses. The female sex was seen as being closer to nature, but this was removed with the arrival of monotheistic faith after the invasion of polytheistic societies
El Saadawi
A Muslim feminist, she argues that it is not religion itself that is patriarchal, but its interpretation. This is because men both wrote and interpreted scripture, allowing them to use the religious structure as an abuse of power. An example she uses is FGM
Woodhead
Criticises the feminist explanation of veils as oppressive because the veil can be empowering and means women are not objectified. Rather than being judged on appearance they are judged on character and ideas. We should not assume or generalise experiences with religion
Cohen and Kennedy
Fundamentalist movements are often patriarchal and force women into oppressed roles, e.g. the Taliban not allowing women to work and requiring the burqa to be worn. These movements have reemerged as a result of the fear of the increased freedom of women destabilising the male basis of control (religion, traditional morality etc.)
