Roles & Religion

<3 Hello

Gender roles and religion go hand in hand in most cultures, as a gender role is a set of behaviors that indicate one’s gender. Based upon the informational articles of American Culture and Gender Roles in Senegal, that provide expressive and pertinent pieces, explains the correlation between the two matters.

 Firstly, the article Gender Roles in Senegal explicates the ignorance about gender views in other countries. As a girl, the author grew up in America most of her life and when she studied the customs of Senegal and travelled there with a host family. She learned that religion, as Islam is the majority that is practiced there, the obvious manifestation of their view towards women is based in polygamy. As this is widely accepted in that society, she even, during her language classes saw that there were words for first wife, second wife, third wife and fourth. Although the demonstration of the belief in inferiority towards females goes farther than the permissibility of polygamy. As the host family’s father had made a joke about the woman telling the husband what to do, everyone had laughed, excluding the author and they explained that it’s a humorous story because they know how it’s suppose to be.

Then the second article, American Culture questioned roles in media about whether some premises may be for the negative or positive benefits towards each gender. The author believes as if the mentality towards their gender may be by their environment, as to how its regularly portrayed and there are other sources such as Roles and Religion which speaks of how most religions have different customs with women yet have similar perspectives. As in Christianity women are generally seen as an object of sex or a man’s desire, in the bible most believe that Eve tempted Adam and unleashed sinfulness upon humanity, nor did they give Adam equal responsibility.  While there are some Muslims and Christians who don’t believe this and even fight for women’s rights but much as an impact these views have had on the religion it still hinders others.

“Because there is no universal “right” way to be a man or a woman, they argue that our ways of “doing gender” are shaped by social cues and influences.”

-Dr. Darlene Hampton

  Personally, my first reaction regarding most of the articles were appallment, as I’m aware of the way most religions are and how society may view situations. To believe that women are inferior is preposterous to me and how history has made them seem is awfully degrading, as a female I’m offended of course but at least I have acknowledgement and have the ability to prove those stereotypes erroneous. Although I may understand why these views are popular, religion is one of the most powerful influences in the world and it’s taught from a young age. As it’s passed down and technology has become favored it has become apart of the media and unfortunately ingrained into nearly all cultures. If I were to be in a society much like Senegal’s, as the author described her experience in the first article, I couldn’t imagine not obtaining the voice I have now. With oneself outlook, I don’t necessarily debase polygamy although I far from agree with the aspect of it, honestly, it's considered to be a norm in Dakar’s society and I wouldn’t be joyous to live in one like that. It may be how I was raised or personal values but it’s an opinion that I have.

  Gender roles and religion affects the world globally as according to 2012, approximately 31.50% of the world practices Christianity and 22.32% of the world is Islam, looking upon the perspective of how these are the world’s statistics these are incontrovertible amount of people who practice these religions. Societal norms may be influenced by media but history and faith has a larger significance, as in Gender Roles in Senegal the author could see that not only one religion pertains to such views of women, in scriptures they speak of knowledge that people take accountable. This takes a global impact because since many rely upon religion they begin to believe that these are the ways to abide by, which may be the cause of such degradation towards women and considering that there are female who practice these religion they as well begin to believe that this is how they’re suppose to be treated. This manipulates one opinion of oneself and opinions about others, this is possibly harmful and can be taken to extreme accounts. As Dr. King once said in the Letter from Birmingham Jail, “Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly”. Although he speaks of race in his letter the circumstances are very similar because females have been oppressed by being born a certain gender, one shouldn’t be debased because of who and how they are, even if it’s for religious purposes.

  There are many ways to improve this particular position, as there are many people who are apart of a religion yet supports feminism, even though this post has mostly spoken about women’s oppression there are places and parts that affect men as well with how they must act that are enforced because of religion. If we were able band together in order to aid one another to stand against such views upon gender then this would yield the hinderance it has provided. Religion has made an impact on the world, though why can’t it be a positive one? Instead of wanting a gender to be a certain way, why not embrace who they are and love their religion as they are.

Thank you for reading this, I hope you’re able to make a positive impact as well.

All love, Aya ~