The role of women in the family

However, practices are changing, with more mixed worship especially in Europe and North America. This could suggest that how women are viewed is more about social norms (what’s considered ‘normal’ by most people in a community or country) than religion.

It’s also important to note that different roles can have equal worth, which is the explanation many believers give for role divisions. For example, nurturing children and bringing them up to follow religious teachings (often a role given to women) is as important to a family as earning a living and representing the family at a place of worship (a role often given to men).

However, some people believe that men’s roles are superior and may use this as justification for poor treatment of women. This is largely by men, but can be by other women – for example, by mistreating daughters-in-law and encouraging FGM.

The term for men having more power or authority is ‘patriarchy’, and very few societies globally or historically have not been patriarchal.

Examples of patriarchal practice in the UK include:

Many religions and cultures have had forced or arranged marriage as a feature for centuries, the reasons being:

• Controlling wealth, land, or power.
• Ensuring the family line continues.
• Ensuring a wide gene pool (particularly in the Hindu tradition).

Within marriage, having children is seen as desirable across most religions. For example, Catholic teachings forbid sex unless there is the potential to create children, as the purpose of sex is believed to be procreation. Historically, this has caused many women to feel that their only role is to be a mother, perhaps feeling guilty or inadequate if they cannot conceive.

In addition, there has been a traditional patriarchal emphasis on women being virgins prior to marriage. It was common practice in some cultures for the wedding bedsheets to be shown to family, or even to everyone there to ‘prove’ the bride’s virginity. It’s fair to say this focus on the woman’s virginity is often more due to concerns that any children definitely belong to the husband than from respect for religious rules about virginity, which would often apply equally to both men and women.

Hindu teachings prescribe four life stages, the first three of which apply to men and women alike, but socially, there is often more pressure on women to fulfil the householder stage.

And also four main aims in life:

1. Dharma – fulfilling your personal, social and religious duties.  How much importance is placed on each of these can vary within families.
2. Artha – earning an honest living.
3. Kama – experiencing sensual pleasure without causing harm to others (so sex is not just about procreation, which is different to Catholic teaching, for example).
4. Moksha – breaking free from the cycle of reincarnation.

Please note, ‘kama’ is different to the concept of ‘karma’ (actions have consequences), which many people have heard of and which is used to indicate a person is paying for ‘bad’ deeds or being rewarded for ‘good’ deeds.

Kama includes enjoying sport, music, food and sex. However, whilst the main purpose of sex is not procreation, there is a religious duty to try and have children (see the second life stage above) and there is considerable social pressure on many Hindu women not only to have children, but to have boys.

Shivashakti is a Hindu image which shows the divine as one energy with male and female aspects. An obvious interpretation is for Hindus to view male and female as equally important. Similarly, there are many female deities, and many Hindus worship female ideas of the divine, such as Saraswati, Lakshmi and Kali (see below).

However, women and girls are often not given the same status as men and boys in some Hindu families. The same applies in many Sikh and Buddhist families too, even though both faiths have clear teachings promoting equality. A likely explanation for this difference between religious teachings and how followers live is the influence of society and culture on how people think and behave.

In addition, rules that apply to both men and women may often be interpreted more ‘strictly’ for women than men. For example, the teaching in Islam for followers to ‘dress modestly’ – which is sometimes interpreted as women having to cover themselves from head to toe. It must be said though, that some women believe ‘covering up’ gives them freedom from being judged by their looks.

Women being judged is an issue that is currently on the rise globally, including in North America and Europe, where some people are using Christian teachings and the Bible to justify their view that men are superior to women.

For example, St Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 writes: ‘Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission’. This has been used for centuries to bar women from being priests in many Christian churches, but it is now also quoted as a reason to ignore women who speak out about equality. Other examples can be found within the creation story from the Book of Genesis.

In summary, the role of women in the family can vary due to a number of factors, which include religion. However, more often it is about the place, time (historical), politics and society in which the women and family live.