Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

ANTH 363 > Week 6 - Religion and Gender > Flashcards

Week 6 - Religion and Gender Flashcards

1
Q

What is the difference between Sex and Gender?

A
  • Sex = biological differences
  • Gender = cultural constructions of male and female characteristics on a continuum
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Gender

A
  • a key organizing principle in society
  • affects our choices, opportunities, world view
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Gender in the context of religion

A
  • religion is where we find society’s most “conservative” and “progressive” themes (i.e. gender fluidity)
  • gender generates powerful religious symbols organized by sex differences
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Gender - Azande

A

women have no access to divination practices

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Gender - Witchcraze

A

women viewed as evil and sexual

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

what is the most important aspect in shaping a particular view of gender?

A

religious belief

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Gender in the Religious context

A
  • occupies a large place in all religions
  • religious language, rituals, roles, symbols draw on this experience
  • use it as a metaphor for division or separation
  • focus on difference
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

8 ways Gender and Religion intersect

A

1) Control Over Bodies (abortion, contraception, FGM)
2) The Clothes We Wear (ex: hijab)
3) Power (gender relations)
4) Economics - what woek is appropriate depending on gender
5) Marriage - polygamy, same sex
6) Gender Construction (ex: rites of passage)
7) Ascetic Groups (ex: nuns, brotherhoods)
8) Concepts of Normalcy (ex: homosexuality)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Religion, Myth, and Gender

A
  • many texts, myths and rituals articulate what men and women are like
  • how men and women supposed to relate
  • dictate appropriate conduct for genders
  • the value ascribed to each sex is not equal
  • preoccupied w/ separating men & women (often western interpretations) -> many creation and divine myths feature androgynous, two-spirit, intersex, sex/gender changer, or binary figures in one body
  • can’t understand gender experience, construction, roles without religious context
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Hijras

A
  • 3rd gender in India and Pakistan
  • undergo voluntary castration
  • often identify as transsexual, transgender, transvestite, homosexual, asexual, intersex, or eunuchs
  • many perform stereotypical feminine gender roles in how they dress, behave, talk, jewelry, have long hair, wear cosmetics
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

History of Hijras

A
  • viewed as cultural descendents of the court eunuchs of the Islamic Mughal Empire
  • typically live together in commune arrangment of 5 or more “chelas” (disciples) supervised by “guru” (teacher)
  • still face discrimination in health, housing, education, employment
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Hijras under British Rule

A

seen as “breach of public decency” and incapable of “moral transformation” -> laws enacted against Hijras to fit British social standards of time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Hijra Lifestyle

A
  • some practice asceticism, others engage in sexual relationships with men or engage in sex work
  • by joining hijra community, individuals perceived as failing to fulfil conventional gender norms, such as marriage and bearing children
  • seen as deviant and suffer discrimination and marginalization
  • also seen as having power to curse, to bless and remove curses
  • see themselves as descendants of Bahuchara Mata
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Bahuchara Mata

A
  • Hindu goddess of chasity and fertility
  • grants favours of male children
  • patron goddess of Hijra community
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

History of Bahuchara Mata

A
  • daughter of known warrior travellinf w/ caravan along w/ her sisters, when notorious bandit hijacked caravan
  • in their culture, dying at hands of enemy is absolute no-no and would rather take their own lives
  • Bahuchara decided it wasn’t her or her sister’s time to die
  • instead she cut off her and her sisters breasts as way to curse bandit with impotence/make him a “eunuch”
  • only way for bandidt to remove curse was if he paid homage to Bahuchara Mata by dressing and behaving like a woman
  • cutting off breasts secure her deification for her virtue and purity
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Different Versions of Bahuchara Mata

A
  • one variation: thieves rape her and she curses them; theieves then realize she has turned them into hijras
  • other version: Bahuchara is a powerful man or prince. When threatened by theives, he transforms into a woman through his “spiritual power”. The theives try to rape her and in her defence she cuts off her breast so she no longer appears feminine and curses theives and they become hijras
  • one aspect of stories is Bahuchara’s creation of hi-res seen as curse
  • some hijra’s believe their identity as a curse as a punishment and explains their low social status and derogatory treatment in society
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Hijra Myths

A
  • 2 childless couples wanted a blessing from Bahuchara
  • both had babygirls, and when they grew up these girls they loved eachother and got married -> angered local king
  • king’s animals’ sex changes by drinking from the lake
  • he realized power of water and took one of the girls there to drink: she became a boy
  • lake became the well at Becharaji, and it’s said that any who enter well come out as a kinnar (Hijra) their body changes, as does their face, voice, and sex
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Worship of Bahuchara Mata

A
  • worshipped by many hi-res, regardless of individual religous identification, particularly due to her association with transgender identity
  • worshipped for her ability to give blessings associated with fertility to newlyweds and childless couples
  • myths also have theme of celibacy or impotence -> in particular, male celibacy achieved through the removal of genitalia and gender transformation
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Ardhanarishvara

A
  • half female god
  • represents synthesis of masculine and feminine energies of the universe
  • unity of opposites; beyond duality
  • in some myths, considered source of creation
20
Q

Rama

A

after witnessing their devotion to him, bestows upon hijras ability to confer blessings when a son is born

21
Q

Arjuna

A

hero of the epic that is exiled and assumes identity of eunuch-transverstite for a year and performs rituals during weddings and childbirths that are now performed by hijras

22
Q

Iravan

A

sacrificed himself to goddess Kali to ensure victory for the heroes of the epic -> before he dies, he wishes to marry, Lord Krishna in his female avatar (Mohini), marries him -> hijras in South India consider themselves to be his descendent and call themselves Iravanis

23
Q

Hijras - Myths and Gender

A
  • mythological narratives are essential for constructing hijras’ sense of identity
  • plays significant role in granting religious sanction and explaining and legitimizing behavioural patterns, ritual practices, and bodily forms of hijras
  • role = ability to curse and to bless
  • references to 3rd gender individuals in sacred texts produces a counter-discourse to the mainstream narrative, which portrays them as deviant subjects
  • gains them a measure of respect for this identity and alleviates some of the stigma surrounding their identity
24
Q

Feminist Critiques of Religion

A
  • sees society as patriarical
  • many see religion as patriarical that reflects and perpetuates this inequality
25
Q

Evidence of Religious Patriarchy -> Organisations

A
  • Organisations: mainly male dominated (despite woman participating more in some organizations)
  • often separate sexes and marginalise women
  • women’s participation may be restricted
  • taboos that regard menstruation, pregnancy and childbirth as polluting may also prevent participation
26
Q

Evidence of Religious Patriarchy -> Sacred Texts

A

largely feature doings of male gods, prophets; usually written and interpreted by men -> stories often reflect anti-female stereotypes

27
Q

Evidence of Religious Patriarchy -> Religious Laws and Customes

A
  • may give women fewer rights than men
  • religious influences on cultural norms may also lead to unequal treatment, such as genital surgeries/mutilation or punishment for sexual transgressions
  • many religions legitimate and regulate women’s traditional domestic and reproductive role
28
Q

What does history/archeology tell us about religion being patriarchal?

A
  • Karen Armstrong argues early religion often placed women at the center
  • no single event or cause -> patriarchy as social system arose from combo of factors in different parts of the world at different times, slowly, gradually, was often resisted
  • first signs of women treated differently appear in Mesopitamian -> women disappearing from public world of work
  • codes and laws around gender begin to appear in Europe, Asia, and Middle East
  • from 4000 yrs ago, rise of monotheistic religions saw establish of a single, all-powerful God
29
Q

Was Religion always Patriarchal?

A
  • a shift from female-centric goddess worship to male-dominated religions
  • religion may be used to oppress women, not direct cause of their subordination -> result of patriarichal sorms of society coming into existance in the last few thousand years
  • once in existance, patriarchy began to influence and reshape religion
  • religious beliefs function as a patriarchal ideology that legitimates female subordination
30
Q

Mary Daly

A
  • radical feminist that held radical views towards religion was based on hostility and hatred towards women
  • believed patriarchy at core of religion and created by men to exploit women and cindition them ideologically to accept this inequality as normal
  • argued that women need to abandon religion so they can find respect and liberation
31
Q

Mary Daly -> Bible Stories

A

identified use of Bible stories to portray women as bad and needing men to save them from their problems as in the story of Adam and Eve -> Adam = innocent and good protector of Eve, Eve = bad and tempted by the devil and does as he asks disreguarding Adam’s and God’s warnings

32
Q

Feminine Evil

A

a myth which justified persecution of untrustworthy women

33
Q

Eve

A
  • women don’t teach or exercise authority over men
  • they are to keep silent
  • Adam formed first then Eve
  • Adam wasn’t decieved but Eve was, then became transgressor
34
Q

Tertullian

A

all women share the ignominy of Eve. Like Eve, all women are “devil’s gateway, the unsealed of the forbidden tree, the first deserter of the divine law” who destroyed “God’s image, man”

35
Q

Ambrose

A

a 4th century bishop and doctor: refers to Eve as a procreative “helper for the purpose of generating human nature” and concludes tha “this then is the way in which a woman is a good helper of less importance”

36
Q

Thomas Aquinas

A

significantly extended argument in the 13th century, claiming that women were defective by nature: “Misbegotten males” are born female because of some defect in the active force or maternal disposition, or because of some external forces such as a moist south wind

37
Q

The Malleus Maleficarum

A

document that draws heavily on Genesis 3, provided the inquisition its principal theological justification for persecuting women as witches

38
Q

In art, what is a female usually represented as?

A

serpents

39
Q

Mary

A

Catholic and Orthodox symbol of motherhood

40
Q

Gender Ideologies, Biologu and Culture

A

19th and mid 20th century US, gender ideologies were based on biological determinism:
- males and females born fundementally different
- “naturally” attracted to one another
- women’s sex drive was less developed and reproductivity oriented

41
Q

Domestic Sphere

A

in large stratified societies, men dominate public sphere while women are in domestic sphere

42
Q

The Doctrine of “Separate Spheres”

A

reflected differences assumed to be “natural”; biological determinism
- public sphere = domain of men -> able to freely move outside home and participate easily in public life
- private sphere = where women belonged, taking care of household matters

  • emphasizes social separation btw males and females and males’ control over females
43
Q

legitimizing ideology

A

belief system developed by those in power to rationalize and perpetuate systems of inequality

44
Q

Religious Feminisim - Woodhead

A
  • criticizes feminist explanations that simply equate religion w/ patriarchy and the oppression of women
  • much traditional religion is patriarchal, not true for all religion -> argues there are “religious forms of feminism” - ways women use religion to gain freedom
  • despite stron belief in trad gender roles, women able to use religion to increase their power and influence
45
Q

Religious Feminisim

A
  • women made use of activities linked to the church (ex: bilble study groups) to share experiences and find support
  • position of women w/i some religions is changing

ANTH 363 (8 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions