Gender and Society Flashcards
What is the traditional understanding of a family
husband wife child
What changes in the 20th and 21st century has altered the traditional view of a family
- Increase in divorce rates
- Increase in women’s working rights so less women have children
- Increase in contraception use
- Secularisation leads to decrease in marriage rates
- Legalisation and acceptance of homosexuality
First wave feminism
Aim to get women the right to vote
Second wave feminism
Ensuring that equality laws for omen were put into practice in society
Third wave feminism
Greater emphasis on individuality and intersectionality among all women
What do feminists see the traditional family view as
An instrument for the oppression of women as it confines the women to a life in the household caring for children
What feminist law was passed in 1991
Marital rape became a crime
Reasons why the idea of family is culturally determined
- Different societies understand families differently so cant have one view of family
- Everything about someones life is culturally determined
- As cultural norms change the idea of a family changes, homosexuality acceptance family can be seen with two male parents
- Families have practical advantages
Reasons why the idea of family isn’t culturally determined
- Idea of a family cant change because it must have the ability to create a child
- Christianity teaches that families are formed by Gods creation and not society, may be affected by society
- Natural Law, Idea of a family is taught in church teachings for catholics.
- Bible teaches about the importance of the role of a family with set roles within the family with the purpose of procreation and protection.
What is Ephesians
Pauls letters to the early church
What does Ephesians teach
- Women are inferior to men in a marriage and must submit
- Men have a god given authority over women
- Men should use their authority to care for their wives and to love them, women should just respect husbands
What else does Paul teach supporting the view of inferiority of women
- Women shouldn’t speak in church
- Women should never have authority over a man
- Eve eats the fruit first, women are the weaker sex
What actions of Paul support equality of women
He taught that all people are equal in Christ, Set up churches led by women
What are the less oppressive ways of interpreting Ephesians
- Husband must also be prepared to sacrifice everything for his wife
- marriage is based off true love
- Pauls letters were responses to other now lost letters which explains the forceful language
- Authority in the passage may mean head, which would suggest men as the source of life and energy not in command
- Hermeneutics of suspicion in Pauls society was highly patriarchal so this was radical at the time.
Reasons why biblical teaching on men and women is outdated
- Highly sexist, relying on patriarchal societal norms that are no longer present
- Biblical teachings like ephesaisn are evidence
- Biblical teachings no longer cover peoples needs today so shouldn’t be used literally
Biblical teaching on men and women is not outdated
- If society wants to change doesn’t mean its right, many christians disagree with the secular direction societies going in
- Biblical teachings have many different interpretations and can still have value found in them nowadays
- Bible is revealed theology from god so shouldn’t be disobeyed
Hermeneutics of Suspicion
Looking into the context of a piece of writing like the bible to realise the culture of the person who wrote it to realise why it says what it does.
Who is the theologian who believes hermeneutics of suspicion is important as each writer is a product of their society
Fiorenza
Mulieris Dignitatem what and when
Text published by poe John Paul II in 1988, Aimed to reintroduce catholic teachings on women in response to growing feminism and change in society, enforced equality of men and women with different roles
What are the key teachings in Mulieris Dignatatem on marriage
Marriage liberates women and men from the corruption and lust from the fall, as this should be true love and complete sacrifice
What are the key teachings in Mulieris Dignatatem on motherhood
Motherhood is a gift given by women, begins at conception and is a psycho- physical state, women have the ability to better care for others and this is accentuated in motherhood, mothers are more decisive in the upbringing of a child
What are the key teachings in Mulieris Dignatatem on Women’s gift
The women’s gift is to be able to give new life this is sharing in gods creative power
What are the key teachings in Mulieris Dignatatem on Mary
Marys virginity and Motherhood are admired by all christians as she gave the ultimate gift of creation by birthing incarnate god in Jesus, this replaced any suffering from the fall as Jesus came to forgive sins
How does Mulieris Dignatatem oppress women
- Enforces that they should stay at home to raise the child
- Expresses marriage and child raising should only be done by one male and one female
- promotes to Shuns women who cant or don’t want to reproduce
Reasons why Official church teaching should resist secular gender views
- Mulieris Dignatatem has traditional views of family as central beliefs expounded and supported by god and the Virgin Mary in her birth of Jesus
- Christian teaching consistently shows that two sexes are needed for creation and a sustainable family
- Natural law primary precepts
- Departing from this order of creation in christianity can lead to an unstable society
Reasons why official church teaching should embrace secular gender views
- It is the way of the future so they must embrace at some point
- Christianity promotes equality so should accept different views on gender and family
- Christianity is declining in popularity in the world
- One can live a happy fulfilling life in a secular family or society
How does Mary relate to mothers today in mulieris dignatatem
Mothers today forget the pain of childbirth when faced with the joy of new life. Mary forgot the pain of Jesus crucifixion when he resurrected at easter
In christianity where does the difference between men and women come from
Creation, men were created first in the image of god
What does modern day chrsitianty enforce about gender roles
Men and women are equal but are psychologically and biologically suited to some roles or jobs better
What about gender does modern day society reject
Stereotypical gender roles and binary gender teaching in christianity. Rejects that some things are inherently masculine and some feminine.
What is the conservative protestant view on gender identity and roles
Emphasis on order of creation in genesis, women have privilege of having the role of giving life, only men should go out and work. Reject homosexuality and single parent families and divorce
What is the liberal protestant view on gender identity and roles
Each person has free choice and can reflect gods love. Work within changing society by accepting all people as Jesus did. Won’t read the bible literally.
Reasons why Secular views of gender have undermined Christian belief
- Decline in people feeling welcome in Christian communities due to Christina beliefs
- They have been undermined but this is a good thing as it forces christianity to change
- Traditional Christian views are patriarchal and restrictive, and secular gender views highlight this
Reasons why secular views of gender have not undermined christian belief
- Christian teachings are secure as they have biblical authority behind them
- Secular gender views show the damaged state of society and why christianity must hold onto their beliefs
- The effects of the fall are present as humans move further away from god, more secular, chrsitiantiy can save this
What does CofE still disallow
Homosexual relationships among the clergy
What is the misconception with motherhood
It isnt just biological but psychological aswell
What do catholics believe about motherhood
Mothers love is a reflection of gods love, which is why their gift of childbirth is sacred, the love is present throughout upbringing, idolisation of Virgin Mary
What liberties that women should have does the Catholic Church not allow
Artificial contraception, Abortion, Divorce
Why do some believe it should be talked about more as parenthood instead of motherhood
With scientific advances traditional biological views are no longer relevant, man and woman aren’t needed for reproduction, so it isnt always motherhood and a man can raise a child just as well as a woman.
How do Ephesians and mulieris dignitatem express equality in marriage
motherhood and fatherhood are both necessary when raising a child, both are needed for parenthood
What is the critical view of motherhood
Women are socially conditioned into being mothers but many mothers aren’t fulfilled and feel isolated when raising children, reduced to being mothers and lose sense of individuality.
Reasons why motherhood is liberating
- In book John expresses motherhood as having ‘life to the full’
- Women associating themselves with Virgin Mary and easter is privileged
- Motherhood is a special gift given by god only to women
Reasons why motherhood is restricting
- Christian views on motherhood emphasis segregation and traditional gender roles
- Society has forced women into isolating themselves as mothers
- restricting for this to be women’s only job with no societal power while men can do anything
How does Simone de Beauvoir criticise traditional gender roles
Motherhood forces women to crush their own personalties to care for others, this is the eternal feminine
How does Ann Oakley criticise traditional gender roles
Motherhood leaves women feeling powerless and restricted
How does Mary Daly criticise traditional gender roles
Traditional gender roles come from a patriarchal bible, written by men to serve mens interests so this needs to be changed
How do secular ideas clash with Christian ideas about gender
Secular has gender as a social construct which allows people to manipulate their gender, christianity has gender as a creation of god so cant be changes, rejecting trans rights
What are essential gender theories
Gender is fixed by essential human nature, biology and god
What are existential gender theories
Gender is determined through social discourse, ones upbringing, or social condtitioning
