Cultural Exploitation of Women

Can and does culture exploit women? The answer is “yes,” culture can exploit women especially when it is bias against women in preference to men.

What is Culture?

Culture derives from a Latin word which means “to cultivate” and is used in many different ways. In relation to society, culture is used to mean common or shared beliefs, goals and practices that create a unique identity for a group of persons. Thus, culture represents a common and shared cultivation of beliefs, goals and practices by a group of persons.

For example, if a group of persons have a common and shared passion for Nokia phones which is shown in their mobile purchasing and usage habits, we can safely say that this group have a Nokia mobile culture. It is also possible for sub-cultures to exist within a culture. For example, if within the group that uses Nokia phones, a few of them decide only to purchase and use model C6, then, there will exist a C6 culture within the Nokia mobile culture.

How Culture Can Be Distorted or Biased?

Have you ever wondered why many religions seem to have male gods and if there are female goddesses, they usually take a subordinate role as a wife or minor wife. Many religions in themselves are androcentric (man-centered). Imagine a religion that is bias and gives preference to men. In such a religion, all beliefs, goals and practices will naturally serve for the interest and benefit of men. Women will play a second fiddle in any religion that is androcentric. What is the connection between religion and culture?

Most human cultures have some sort of religious beliefs. Religion is a key component in most cultures. Thus, if a religion is androcentric, automatically, its role in culture will highlight and emphasis that androcentricity. The result will be a cultural bias for men and against women in all shared beliefs, goals and practices. This causes the double standards between men and women across the cultural beliefs and practices. Distorted and biased cultural beliefs and practices are usually maintained by group thinking and force which gives it legitimacy. And any person who wants to be part of that group will have to abide by the agreed cultural practices.

How Women Are Exploited?

Imagine in certain cultures that lays down rules like only men can read and write. If a woman attempts to educate herself, she might be punished. Every single person who has agreed to abide by this culture will play the “follow you” game. And they will agree with any punishment meted to a woman who doesn’t play their game. Logic is no more the question and right and wrong is the prerogative of majority of the group. This is how women are exploited by culture.

What is the Role Justice in Cultural Exploitation?

Any exploitation of women does not consider justice as a necessary trademark of true humanity. But justice is the trademark of all true humanity. Though a group may consists of millions, who through group coercion may exploit one woman through its cultural practices. The majority

numerical representation does not make an unjust exploitation right or just. It only shows that a bigger injustice is being committed against an individual or minority.

Any cultural exploitation of women can only be remedied when justice is practiced and enforced even in the face of majority opposition. And the practice of justice requires just persons with just minds.