{"id":781,"date":"2026-01-12T13:39:52","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T13:39:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cgm.gwasanaethdysgudigidol.cymru\/uncategorized\/llysieuaeth-a-feganiaeth\/"},"modified":"2026-08-24T06:50:34","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T06:50:34","slug":"llysieuaeth-a-feganiaeth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cgm.gwasanaethdysgudigidol.cymru\/en\/issue-25\/llysieuaeth-a-feganiaeth\/","title":{"rendered":"Article 3:
The role of women in the family"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Article 3<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

The role of women in the family<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Author: Neera Vyas<\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Article 2<\/a><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div>

The role of women in the family<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Whilst most religions have \u2018equality\u2019 as a key belief, some give clearly different roles or duties to men and women in the family, and there can be a difference in what\u2019s written in scripture and how people behave.<\/p>\n

Jewish teachings often state that the priority for women is to pass on the faith through keeping a Jewish home (e.g. making sure food laws are obeyed and preparing for the sabbath), as well as the very important aspect of being a mother \u2013 in Judaism, children are considered Jewish if their mother is Jewish.<\/p>\n

Jewish and Muslim men have a responsibility to attend worship at the synagogue or mosque \u2013\u00a0 both places in which, traditionally, women are not allowed to worship alongside men.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/span><\/div>

Introduction to messianic judaism the silo invasion<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

<\/span><\/div><\/div>

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\u2019s considered \u2018normal\u2019 by most people in a community or country) than religion.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also important to note that different roles can have equal worth<\/em>, 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).<\/p>\n

However, some people believe that men\u2019s 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 \u2013 for example, by mistreating daughters-in-law and encouraging FGM.<\/p>\n

The term for men having more power or authority is \u2018patriarchy\u2019, and very few societies globally or historically have not been patriarchal.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Examples of patriarchal practice in the UK include:<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\uf1e3<\/span><\/span><\/div>

Women\u2019s football was banned by the FA from 1921-1951.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\uf756<\/span><\/span><\/div>

Women were not allowed equal voting rights for parliamentary elections until 1929.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\uf4d3<\/span><\/span><\/div>

Women couldn\u2019t have a bank account or loan without a male (usually their husband or father) giving their backing until 1975.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\uf51d<\/span><\/span><\/div>

Women couldn\u2019t be priests in the Church of England until 1994, and in the Church in Wales until 1996.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\uf521<\/span><\/span><\/div>

The line of succession to the throne was not in age order (all males first \u2013 only then females) until 2015.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

In addition, daughters were sometimes viewed as a financial burden by their family and married off to the highest bidder, even by force at times. This is something that still occurs in poorer parts of the world today. What\u2019s important here though, is to understand that:<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Forced marriage (where the people involved \u2013 most often the bride more than the groom \u2013 have no say and may be emotionally or physically coerced) is a social construct that has for some people become a cultural tradition.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Cultural traditions are not the same as religious rules \u2013 even though people may confuse the two and even believe<\/em> it\u2019s a religious thing when in fact it\u2019s not based on scripture or teachings.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Forced marriage is not the same as arranged <\/em>marriage, which involves consent by both partners.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Many religions and cultures have had forced or arranged marriage as a feature for centuries, the reasons being:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Controlling wealth, land, or power.<\/li>\n
  • Ensuring the family line continues.<\/li>\n
  • Ensuring a wide gene pool (particularly in the Hindu tradition).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    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.<\/p>\n

    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 \u2018prove\u2019 the bride\u2019s virginity. It\u2019s fair to say this focus on the woman\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    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.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    Student (birth until marrying age).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    Householder (marriage, children, running a home).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    Retirement (sharing wisdom, developing spiritually).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    Sannyasin (an extreme level of spiritual development).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    And also four main aims in life:<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    Dharma<\/h4>

    Fulfilling your personal, social and religious duties. \u00a0How much importance is placed on each of these can vary within families.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    Artha <\/h4>

    Earning an honest living.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    Kama <\/h4>

    Experiencing sensual pleasure without causing harm to others (so sex is not just about procreation, which is different to Catholic teaching, for example).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    Moksha <\/h4>

    Breaking free from the cycle of reincarnation.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    \n

    Please note, \u2018kama\u2019 is different to the concept of \u2018karma\u2019 (actions have consequences), which many people have heard of and which is used to indicate a person is paying for \u2018bad\u2019 deeds or being rewarded for \u2018good\u2019 deeds.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    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.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

    <\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    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).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    <\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    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.<\/p>\n

    In addition, rules that apply to both men and women may often be interpreted more \u2018strictly\u2019 for women than men. For example, the teaching in Islam for followers to \u2018dress modestly\u2019 \u2013 which is sometimes interpreted as women having to cover themselves from head to toe. It must be said though, that some women believe \u2018covering up\u2019 gives them freedom from being judged by their looks.<\/p>\n

    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.<\/p>\n

    For example, St Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 writes: \u2018Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission\u2019<\/em>. 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.<\/p>\n

    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.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    \n