Radical Feminism- Theories of Religion (CF)

Question 1

Rad fem- Religion oppresses women AO1

Answer 1

De Beauvoir
in her book ‘The Second Sex’ she portrayed religion as an instrument of domination
men usually control religious organisations and claim their authority comes from God
eg Divine right of Kings
some religions may portray women as closer to God only if they are passive and do not question male authority
religion gives women a false belief that there suffering will be rewarded in Heaven
-false consciousness that keeps women in their place
deceives women to think they are equal to men but they are actually the ‘Second sex’
sacred texts- largely feature the doings of male gods, prophets etc and are usually written and interpreted by men
stories often reflect anti-female stereotypes
eg Eve, who brought ‘original sin’

Question 1

Rad fem- Religion maintains patriarchy AO1

Answer 1

Armstrong
-sees women’s exclusion from priesthood as evidence of their marginalisation
Religious organisations are mainly male dominated despite the fact that women often participate more than men
Eg = Orthodox Judaism and Catholicism forbid women to become priests
Holm- women face a stained glass ceiling

Question 2

Rad fem- Religion segregates the sexes AO1

Answer 2

Places of worship often segregate the sexes and marginalise women
Eg seating them behind screens while men occupy the central more sacred spaces
women’s participation may be restricted eg not being allowed to preach or read sacred texts
menstruation , pregnancy and childbirth are regarded as polluting and prevent participation
Eg in Islam, menstruating women are not allowed to touch the Qur’an
Holm- devaluation of women in contemporary religion

Question 3

Rad fem- Religion is an instrument of male domination AO1

Answer 3

Religious laws and customs may give women fewer rights than men
Eg access to divorce, how many spouses they may marry, decision making and dress codes etc
Religious influences on cultural norms leads to unequal treatment
Eg genital mutilation (India) or punishments for sexual transgressions
Many religions legitimate and regulate women’s traditional domestic and reproductive role
Eg Catholic Church bans abortion and artificial contraception
Woodhead- exclusion of women from Catholic priesthood is evidence of church’s deep unease about the emancipation of women
generally