gender and society Flashcards
Pltatos early views of women and the role of them
- women = inferior to men because men are more physically capable
- Plato thought to be born a woman was an unfavourable reincarnation that demonstrates immorality in a past life
- women = sex objects
- women = good house wifes
aristotles views of women
- women are naturally inferior to men
- men should rule over women
- view women as a defective male since he gives life and she is just the oven in which it grows
aristotles essentialist views of women
more mischievous, less simple, more impulsive, more jealous, lack of self respect, cry easier
aquinas views on women
- women = inferior
- ‘the female is the misbegotten male’
- thought God made women to be subordinate
- thought women still played a special role in the Christian narrative and Virgin Mary had a special place in heaven
quote from Ephesians that shows women should be subordinate
‘wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the lord’
in what letter of Paul does he tell christian men to treat their wives
Ephesians 5:22-33
quote from Ephesians that suggests men should love their wives
‘husbands should love their wives as their own bodies’
what is the equal but different argument?
- men and women are equal but have different roles
- womens skills should be celebrated
- due to to these differences some roles should stay for men
why is priesthood only available for men?
in catholocism only men can be priests because he is representing jesus at the last supper and jesus was male. The role is thus resvered for males. Or only open to men because jesus disciples were male.
what is the feminine mystique
betty friedan -> challenged the notion that women are content to their roles as subordinate housewifes and roused women to admit this, this is accepting the feminine mystique
simone de beauvoirs views
- women have a false consciousness and their existences continues to be defined by men without even really realising it.
- one becomes a woman
- we need to be liberated from this false consciousness and live true, free lives
beauvoir quote on ‘the other’
‘the other is posited as the other by the one who posits themselves as the one’
views of conservative protestants
1) women = wife = domestic haven for family
2) celebrated role
3) traced back to eve
4) motherhood = bringing life to grow into love of God
5) to go against this is to remove mans job as provider
views of liberal protestants
1) motherhood has little ontological significance
2) motherhood shouldnt be something we aspire to
what is the Muleris Dignitatem
papal encylical
what does Muleris Dignitatem mean?
On the dignity and vocation of women
what does the Muleris Dignitatem teach?
Jesus was possible because of the virgin Mary (highlihting womans role) .
Women have a special dignity because of their capacity for motherhood.
This is a role that should be celebrated.
Women are more naturally disposed to helping others.
They get to experience suffering as Christ did through child birth.
what does Mary as theotokos mean?
she was the God-bearer illustrating the special value placed on motherhood for women
what is active motherhood?
motherhood challanges man to learn from her how to be a good father because his nature doesnt make him predisposed to parenthood.
how is motherhood mutual?
motherhood is an example to the man of what is also required of him
issues with Muleris Dignitatem
- motherhood should be a choice not a burden
- defines women in terms of motherhood
- patriarchal bias suggesting motherhood is primary role for women
- essentialist views on gender, gender is not binary vs ‘one is not born a woman’
Daphne Hampson
motherhood forces women to ‘crush their personalities and attend to others’
ann oakley
She concluded that a woman’s feeling that she needs to become a mother is not biological but is entirely the result of socialisation: there is no such thing as a ‘maternal instinct’.
Social pressure to conform repressed women’s career ambitions.
She described the frustrations that women feel when they have to stay at home while their children are young.
Oakley wrote about the ways in which women feel powerless during childbirth, when medical experts (usually men) take over and start treating them as ‘cases’.
traditional views on family
man and woman
eve and adam
influence on Christianity of the virgin Mary on views of women
Mary as theotoks- child/God bearer, highlights the importance of motherhood for women since she allowed God to be his incarnate form. Women should celebrate their role as mother.
Also - virginity and purity. Jesus was born without sex, this is unrealistic and places weird expectations of virginity.
Reasons why Christians SHOULD resist secular views of gender and family
- the bible is not that sexist - Jesus protecting the Adulterous woman - and therefore its values should be followed
- ## Mary as theotokos - a vocation to be celebrated for women
Reasons why Christians SHOULD resist secular views of gender and family
