Radical Feminism Flashcards
Religion legitimates the hierarchy
De Beauvoir and the sacred texts
‘The second sex’, Simone de Beauvoir wrote about a feminist perspective on religion, portraying religion as an instrument of domination.
She argued that men usually control religious organisations and claim that their authority comes from God- e.g kings use their ‘divine’ power to justify their positions.
Religion Maintains patriarchy
Armstrong:
Religious organisations are mainly male dominated despite how much women contribute to them. E.g Orthodox Judaism and Catholicism forbid women to become priests.
Karen Armstrong sees women’a exclusion from the priesthood of most religions as evidence of their marginalisation.
Religion segregates the sexes
Holm Places of worship
Places of worship often segregate the sexes and marginalise women, by seating them at the back so men take up the space.
Women’s participation may also be restricted, e.g. preach or read from sacred texts.
Taboos around menstruation, pregnancy and childbirth as polluting may also prevent participation. For example, in Islam menstruating women are not allowed to touch the Quran.
Jean Holm describes this as the devaluation of women in contempory religion.
Religion is an instrument of make domination
Laws and customs
Religious laws and customs may give women fewer rights than men, e.g. in access to divorce and how maybe spouses they can marry, dress codes etc.
