Isabella Cugini

ENG 112- Issue Report

March 31st, 2019

The Evaluation on the Plight of Women in Various World Religions

The situations women face in various countries are vastly different as are the on-going

situations they are accustomed to in separate worldly religions. In some religions the women in

civilizations are sexualized, deprived, considered property, and/ or given minimum to no

educational and/or humane rights. Whereas in other religions women are equal to men, given

humane and educational rights, and even spiritual leaders/ motivators. In most religions'

women are the people who keep families strong, they raise the children and keep the house in

order, they aren’t the “man” of the household, but they are the backbone of the family. They

keep everything together and everything in order. The value or determination of a human’s

rights, women’s right to be exact, get differentiated? By religion and religious beliefs that follow

which each said religion. Depending on the type of religion depends on the expectations and

situations for the women in different parts of the world who practice these beliefs.

The caste system in India help narrow the outcomes and expected situations Hindu

women have and will continue to face. Vanaja Dhruvarajan is the author of “Hinduism,

Empowerment of Women, and Development in India” talks about the previous and ongoing

situations women in each caste system face and sheds light on women in Hindu religion as well

as sanskritic traditions. Women who happen to belong to the upper caste system tend to have

a better life and more advantages as opposed to the women who consist of the lower caste
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system but still are not equivalent to the men of the higher caste system and held to the

traditional sanskrit views. Women who are associated with the upper class also have a higher

rate of being/becoming more secular.

There is evidence to suggest that upper castes have been able to convert their caste advantages

to class advantages. There is a high correlation between upper caste status and better access to

economic and political resources in modernizing India. In general, even though it is the upper

caste men that have gained the most advantage, upper caste women also have benefited to

some extent. (VD, 1)

Women in the lower caste system face a couple different situations depending on traditions, if

one follows the Dravidian beliefs, as in widow remarriage, divorce, polyandry and levirate were

common, especially in Southern India. These women have the most advantages compared to

the married women of lower caste men who practice the sanskritic traditions trying to be like

the upper caste men.

The Sanskritization of lower caste men, that is their imitation of upper caste male behavioural

patterns has meant denial of the few gender advantages lower caste women have had

historically. (VD,1)

The domestication and sexuality of these women are controlled and slim to none of the

Dravidian traditions are allowed and/or followed.

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In addition, lower caste men who have raised their economic status are eager to raise their

social status as well. This has meant selectively embracing the Sanskritic tradition of Hinduism.

While lower caste men reject the Sanskritic tradition of caste hierarchy, they are eager to

maintain gender hierarchy -- an integral part of this tradition. (VD,1)

Women who follow Islam face similar but still vastly different situations from Hindu

women. The woman’s value and sexuality is explained and teaches the worth of the woman as

well as the men. (GB, source 1) However, man and woman is not equal, man is created in allah’s

shape and commands men to be the demanding authorative partner in everything (AM, pgs.

2&3)

Man’s word is also valued more than woman’s, as noted previously. This is most clearly seen in

the creation of a contract, deed, or other legal document where witnesses are needed to

authorize the validity of the document. The Qur’an states that when forming such a document,

a person should gather two male witnesses, however, if two male witnesses are not available,

then one male and two females are required. (AM, pg. 3)

Two women are needed to be present because one woman on her on own may forgot

important parts because she is believed to be the weaker human than man. In legal actions

such as rape, a woman must present four witnesses to claim she was raped or if the rapist

pleads guilty. (GB, source 1) If there are no witnesses then she must swear four times that the

man is lying and invoke the wrath of Allah on herself if she is lying. However, if the rapist does

the same claim, then it turns to he-said she-said argument and since man’s word is valued

higher than Women the rapist is acquitted of all crimes. (AM, pg.4)
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In the context of death, a woman may only inherit half of what a man inherits. Specifically, a

male child will inherit double of what his sister inherits from their father, simply based upon

gender. In the context of a marriage, a man will inherit half of his wives property, unless they

have children, then the husband will inherit one fourth of the wife’s property. In direct contrast,

a wife will inherit one fourth of her husband’s property, unless they have children, then she will

inherit one eighth of her husband’s property. (AM, pg. 5)

A woman can only inherit half of everything a man can because of gender and the reasoning

behind this belief is that men financially endure more decisions, situations, and pressure than

women will ever come across. In addition, if a woman is widowed with children she still only

inherits one-eighth of the deceased’s property. A woman is not allowed in the decision of her

wedding, or the choice of the groom, and dating is forbidden. While men choose their bride

and pay a dowry to the father, and have up to four wives at a time, and endless sex slaves (AM,

pg.6).

Christian women face vastly different situations from the ones previously stated. The

bible tells men’s and women’s worth as well as their purpose. Men and women were created

in god’s image while God made man first and the head of affairs, men and women were both

created equal. When God finished creating the earth, creatures, and man he realized he had

left out something essential for man, woman and so she was created from him (AM, pg. 43).
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Jesus was not afraid to show compassion and dignity to women and taught the value of women

in the new testament.

The household codes of the New Testament practically reveal the value of women in

Christianity. Husbands are commanded to love their wives like Christ loved the church. This is an

incredible comparison for the view of marriage and revolutionary view of the relationship. As

mentioned earlier, in Greco-Roman society it was recognized that wives had obligations to their

husbands, but not vice versa.160 By merely indicating that husbands had a duty to their wives,

the value of the wife is increased. (AM, pg. 46)

Women are supposed to be pure, mental and physical, and self-controlled so they can teach

their children proper ways. They are considered the backbone of the family, the men work and

provide while the women keep everyone and everything together (AM, pgs. 47 & 48). They

were created to be helpers, not supporters so they shouldn’t be abandoned, they should be

looked after, the older women should be looked at as mothers and the younger as sisters. (AM,

pg. 53)

Women all over the world face serval different dilemmas according to the world religion

that is practiced. They could be the heroes everyday citizens look up to or they should be the

shunned, disrespected, and even despised gender. Every single human being has individual

thoughts and opinions but religion is one factor that brings humans together. The writings and

teachings are what influences the beliefs exercised.

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Works Cited

Dhruvarajan, Vanaja. "Hinduism, Empowerment of Women, and Development in India."

Labour Capital and Society, vol. 29, no. 1, 1996, pp. 17. ProQuest,

https://login.proxy039.nclive.org/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/235

104242?accountid=10163 (VD)

Bashir, Gloria. "The Women of Afghanistan their Plight and our Challenge." Muslim

Journal, Dec 21, 2001, pp. 6. ProQuest,

https://login.proxy039.nclive.org/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/247

092324?accountid=10163. (GB)

Moore, Alane. Islam Vs. Christianity: The Value and Sexuality of Women in Islam Compared

to the Value and Sexuality of Women in Christianity, Liberty University, Ann Arbor,

2011. ProQuest,

https://login.proxy039.nclive.org/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/868

328412?accountid=10163. (AM)
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