Gender and society

Question 1

What is socialisation?

Answer 1

We learn the norms of society and develop gender identification/expression

Question 2

Patriarchal:

Answer 2

Most societies, dominated by men.
Men head of household and jobs.
- 90% of parents want to know gender of baby before born.

Question 3

Evolutionary explanation for patriarchy:

Answer 3

• Ancient times, women were pregnant and had to look after children whilst men defended.
• Sexual dimorphism (same species but offer different purposes).

Question 4

Education:

Answer 4

• Men were often educated more.
• Mary Wollstonecraft- ‘A Vindication of the Rights of Woman’ emphasises women should be educated.
• Malala- ‘we cannot succeed with half of us held back’.

Question 5

Feminism:

Answer 5

Women’s Liberation movement.
Wanted equality.

Question 6

Aristotle on women:

Answer 6

In the ‘History of Animals’ said women are ‘more simply moved to tears, more jealous’.

Question 7

Plato on women:

Answer 7

‘It is only males who are created directly by the God’s’.
(Eve was made from Adam’s rib).
(In book Timaeus).

• Did say women shouldn’t be seen as possessions, but did say that being made a woman was ‘unfortunate’.

Question 8

What do Plato and Aristotle show?

Answer 8

Gender inequalities pre-existed Christianity.

Question 9

WHY did Aristotle think women were inferior?

Answer 9

We cannot produce semen so we are thus ‘defective’.

Women are passive in reproduction, men are active.
Men are responsible for reproduction.
BUT, Virgin Mary???
But she is just seen as a vessel.

Question 10

Who is influenced by Aristotle?

Answer 10

The CHRISTIAN, Aquinas.

Described women as ‘defective’.
But they do have a special place in heaven with Virgin Mary.

Question 11

Typical teachings of Christianity:

Answer 11

• Women have ‘different but complimentary’ roles.
• Book of Common Prayer (the wedding vows):
  Same for men and women, but added in for women is ‘and to obey’.

Men- ‘I plight thee my troth’.
Women- ‘I give thee my troth’.
The man suffers giving it, for the women she just has to submit and give it.

Question 12

What Christian denomination does not ordain women?

Answer 12

Roman Catholic.
This is because Jesus only had male disciples.

BUT, some believe that he did have women as disciples.
There is conspiracy that Mary Magdalene was a disciple, yet due to the patriarchy writing of sola scriptura, she was cut out.

Question 13

Why was God chosen to be a man, not a woman?

Answer 13

Patriarchal world.

For a woman, would have immediately been killed. Wouldn’t have had a chance.

Question 14

What is a term you could use for what Christianity is doing to sexism?

Answer 14

‘Perpetuating injustice’.

Question 15

Irenaeus:

Answer 15

We are all ‘seminally present in Adam’.

Question 16

Genesis:

Answer 16

‘God created mankind in his ow image’.

‘Mankind’???
Suggesting God is a man but due to epistemic distance we surely do not know?

Question 17

Second Genesis story:

Answer 17

Adam created first, given stewardship over animals.
Woman is made from rib of Adam.
An ‘after-thought’.

Lilith had originally been made as Adam’s first wife, made from ‘dust’. She left him, when Adam wanted to be superior.
Source of hatred to women??

Women are first to succumb to Devil’s temptation.

Question 18

Ephesians and women:

Answer 18

Ephesians 5:22
‘Wives, submit to your own husbands as you do the lord’.

Only men have capability to be God-like?

‘Husbands love your wives like Christ loved the Church’.

Looking at Aquinas’ tiers of law, women massively inferior.

Question 19

Lisa Cahill:

Answer 19

‘Sex, gender and Christian ethics’.

Men could have concubines. Women could not, their virginity is their entire worth.

Question 20

Christian egalitarianism:

Answer 20

Men and women should be EQUAL in marriage.

Question 21

Pope John Paul II:

Answer 21

‘Mulieris Dignitatem’, 1988.
‘On the dignity of women’.
Trying to justify that the Church is NOT sexist.

Question 22

What is said in Mulieris Dignitatem’?

Answer 22

• Men and women have ‘different, complimentary’ characteristics.
• Jesus only around because of a woman.
• We will be fulfilled through virginity and motherhood.
• Women are ‘naturally disposed to motherhood’.
• What about infertile women?
• Uses term ‘passive’ like Aristotle, men are the active ones.
• Augustine’s idea of original sin, this is why women feel pain in childbirth.

Question 23

Critique of Mulieris Dignitatem:

Answer 23

Men can be ordained because they have the genitalia of Jesus.
Women actually feel like pain Jesus felt through the crucifixion. Contradiction????

Question 24

Is motherhood restricting or liberating?

Answer 24

Feminist writer, Simone De Beauvoir in 1940s says motherhood is restrictive.
Mothers have to give up aspects of their life and their hobbies.

Ann Oakley, sociologist says women feel powerless and maternal instinct is through socialisation, not biology.

Question 25

When could women get the contraceptive pill?

Answer 25

1960s.
1974 for single women.
Due to ‘second wave feminism’.

Question 26

When were women allowed to vote?

Answer 26

1928