In the United Kingdom

Traditional Male role in family

Head of the House / Main Breadwinner Major say in family decisions May ‘help out’ woman on occasion with

childcare More likely to spend time with male children Has a life outside of home away from family

eg. Pub with friends, football with sons etc

Traditional Female role in family Subordinate to man Defers to him in decision

making Homemaker, cooks and cleans and organises Financially dependant on man’s income Primary care giver to children Limited life outside of the home; Interactions with other similar females

Both roles are stereotypes – they are an ‘idea’ we have applied which generalises behaviour. Whilst there were always small numbers who didn’t follow these roles, most did, hence the stereotype.

Psychologists point to ‘gender’ as being a complex mix of ‘nature’ and ‘nurture’. However modern ideas on gender make it less appropriate to make generalisations about gender.

Social Learning Theory – we learn behaviour by observing others

Conditioning – we are rewarded for exhibiting certain behaviour and encouraged to be a certain way, eg. Boys play with action men, girls with dolls etc

The ‘media’ conditions our understanding of what it means to be ‘male’ or ‘female’ – both subtly and explicitly.

Some argue that the media presents the full range of gender roles, and some very positive female images

However there is still a traditional leaning to portray women as dehumanised, sexual objects – is this because the media is male dominated?

TV and movies still portray outdated gender roles eg. Hero generally male, victim or weak/helpless female

Children’s TV can still focus on traditional gender roles; F1 still has ‘brolly dollies’ for drivers!

Males can look rough and be ‘rugged’, females generally there as eye candy – in TV news female presenters have a sell by date – see Celina Scott and Moira Stewart cases vs age of men on screen

Internet continues to ‘objectify’ women in a damaging and worrying manner

An ideology, a movement for change Challenges inequalities based on gender Attempts to empower women Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) argued

for education to empower women to equal role in society – not a new idea then!!

Modern organisations include advocates for equality, women’s rights, women in the media, violence against women etc.

Some promote women’s rights in workplace and push for representation in leadership roles in society

Empowerment = being able to think, act and live as YOU chose

It involves being educated and having skills It also requires a freedom in society to express

opinions and express personal lifestyle choices Gender /race/religion/sexuality should not hold

you back in any way It means both men and women should have

equal access to power, leadership and the roles which shape society – eg. Politics, business etc

WW1 meant many women were thrown into working roles – proved they were as good as men at these necessary jobs

Repeated again during WW2 Decline of male orientated industry eg.

Mining, ship building New lighter industry eg. Electronics,

assembly work etc more suited to women 1960s sees liberation of women (eg. Pill) and

blurring of roles (see fashion, hairstyles etc – hard to see difference sometimes!)

The period since then has seen a sea change in attitudes and values – eg. Single mothers now accepted as normal, males staying at home not frowned upon, shared roles in the home

Some argue traditional values and roles still play a large part in society

Domestic violence against women still lingers

Women still face discrimination in some workplaces, as well as sexual harassment

Some men are ridiculed for being househusbands

In situations where both are working, the female often still bears brunt of housework, cooking etc – even if main breadwinner!

Decline of heavy industry opened up new roles more suited to women

Smaller families mean women have more time to work

Relative affluence after 1950s saw standards of living rise – people invested in labour saving gadgets such as cookers, washing machines, hoovers, dishwashers etc

This rising consumerism forced women out of the home into work to earn enough to keep up with new expectations of lifestyle

Old stereotypes in the workplace replaced by a new order

Basis in education – from 80s same curriculum for boys and girls in secondary school

Many females in traditionally male jobs eg, police, firefighters etc

Males see new opportunities in teaching, nursing, working with children

Still areas in Scotland dominated by one gender – eg, primary teaching mainly female, secondary heads still generally male. Managers tend to be male, secretaries female

UK Law is designed to ensure gender equality in the workplace and society in general

The law attempts to ensure equality of opportunity regardless of gender, race, religion or sexuality

These laws have made a significant difference and contribute towards a fairer society

However there is still progress to be made!

Outlaws discrimination based on gender Education: all schools must offer same

curriculum to both males and females Advertising: must avoid gender discrimination Employment: pay and promotion should be

equal regardless of gender Housing and services: equal access for all Marriage: maternity/paternity leave Sexual Harassment: unwanted conduct or

behaviour based on gender or related to sex/sexuality

This act ensures pay and benefits are equal between men and women.

Applies to full and part time workers Covers maternity leave and treatment at

work during pregnancy.

See www.eoc.org.uk

Most significant UK law in relation to discrimination

Pulls together elements of previous laws and acts

Aims to ensure fairness and equality regardless of gender, sexuality, race, religion etc

Can be open to interpretation and test cases are needed to see how far the Act has been successful in addressing issues of equality

Ensures awareness of rights and how to use them

Works with employers and service providers to develop best practice

Works with policymakers, lawyers, and Government to ensure social policy and law promote equality

Empowered to enforce laws already in place Continues work of Equal Opportunities

Commission to ensure fair treatment for all in workplace

Mixed history with respect to women The 12 disciples were all male Close female followers and risen Christ

appeared first to a woman, Mary Some feminist writers argue women played a

more important role but were written out of Bible by a male dominated elite

Throughout history women played an important role in Church as leaders, teachers, political figures and saints

Generally different roles allocated to men and women in the church over the years

Debate about whether this is supported by the Biblical teaching or if it is just down to tradition and custom

Like many things, different parts of the Bible say different things – an apparently contradictory view on the role of women even by the same writer eg. Paul

Reasons women are not permitted to be priests in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions:

Jesus choice of males for disciples suggests different role for women

Priest represents Jesus, therefore must be male Against Church’s traditions to allow female

priests Biblical texts which could oppose women priests UK law allows for religious groups to decide that

certain jobs eg. Priests, should only be performed by males or females on religious grounds – so UK Equality law does not apply in this situation!

Biblical Quotes Against Women in Priesthood1 Timothy 2:8-14(NIV)

8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. 9 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

11 A woman[a] should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man;[b] she must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.

1 Corinthians 14:34-35 (NIV)

34 Women[a] should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

Reasons women argue they SHOULD be priests:

If women feel called by God then men should not stand in their or His way

God is neither male nor female – so can be represented by both sexes

Women make up a significant percentage of church attendees, and make a significant contribution to the life and work of the church

Texts like Timothy and Corinthians were for a specific time and place – times have changed along with the role of women!

Other Biblical texts support women in leadership positions:

Biblical Quotes For Women in Priesthood John 20:10-18 (Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene after his

resurrection)

Galatians 3:26-28 (NIV) 26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you

who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Acts 2:17-18 (NIV) 17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions,your old men will dream dreams.18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

Generally in the Church women are valued, albeit with a different role to men:

Women are valued and carry out many important supportive duties eg. Leading groups, visiting sick, Sunday School teachers, preparing food etc.

In RC tradition women can become nuns, taking on a range of responsibilities and can achieve head nun (Mother Superior)

In many Protestant traditions as well as RC, women are encouraged to become mothers and to focus on the role of family

Men and women are seen as ‘equal but different’ in terms of their roles

In some Churches women CAN now become priests, ministers and even Bishops! Church of Scotland accepts women as ministers. This

even extends to the Moderator of the General Assembly (Leader) who serves as head of church for one year

Church of England accepted women as priests in 1992, and in 2015 accepted that women could rise to the position of Bishop

In both cases this view has led to some leaving the church and joining other denominations where women cannot be in leadership, eg. Free Church of Scotland / Roman Catholic church

Many Protestant Evangelical traditions do not accept women ministers due to their strict interpretation of scripture

http://www.freechurchcontinuing.org/reports/news/current-comment/item/women-in-the-ministry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordination_of_women_in_Protestant_churches (List of those who do and don’t)

Similarly mixed attitude to women Buddha said both male and female could

achieve enlightenment However he warned his followers of the

dangers and distractions of women! Women initially played a full role in Buddhist

faith However as it grew it adopted many of the

traditions of its geographical context – much of which was historically male dominated

So the role of women in Buddhism changed

There are many different roles for women in Buddhism – many become female monks (nuns)

In some branches women can rise as high as men, and be teachers

In other branches women play a lesser role

Males tend to reach highest levels as teachers

Women tend to be in the ‘laity’

Some argue Christianity is to BLAME for the negative treatment of women over the years Eve – some say subservient to Adam, some say a different

but equal helper. Some blame Eve for sin, others say they were both culpable.

Old Testament was Patriarchal, and yet strong female heroines exist eg. Esther or rulers like Sheba

Jesus – valued his female followers, in the male oriented world he lived in his attitude was radical

Pauls writings – seem to build women up and put them down in equal measure! Some say negative comments were to specific Churches and issues; others argue he took the ‘equal but different’ viewpoint

Christian Feminists – faith has been male dominated and twisted to this viewpoint over the years

Varies according to tradition eg. Mahayana, Therevada, Western Buddhism etc

Buddha treated women equally – his warning about their ability to ‘distract’ was more about feebleness of men!

Both sexes can follow the 8 fold path to enlightenment

Discrimination based on gender would not be tolerated = wrong action and close to 3 root poisons than to selflessness and kindness

Separate working roles not supported

Western Buddhism sees Feminism as a way to empower females towards enlightenment

Sakyadhita (International Association of Buddhist Women) exists in part to enable women to become ‘teachers of the Buddhadharma’

Female deities exist in Buddhism In general, for Buddhists in everyday life

there should be NO discrimination based on gender

Germaine Greer – writer for over 40 years on feminist issues – argued male dominated society has ‘neutered’ women to keep them subservient

More latterly has written that whilst important steps forward have been made, there is a long way to go to define a woman’s role in society

Greer argues for absolute equality between males and females in society and is critical of anything which inhibits women or holds them back from this equal role in society

Within Humanist organisations men and women are absolutely equal

Humanism argues for the empowerment of all people through education, employment and in the home

People should be able to choose their role in life without pressure or prejudice

Humanists would be critical of any situation where women’s rights were not the same as a man

They argue if women are discriminated against then this could affect the majority in a negative way (wider society)

Discrimination leads to unhappiness for at least half the population are women!

Discrimination benefits a small minority usually at the expense of the majority

Removing discrimination would therefore benefit the majority and make society happier and should be welcomed

Discrimination does NOT show respect for persons (individuals) and is therefore WRONG

We have no control over gender so to treat people differently on this basis is wrong

Stereotyping gender = using people as a means to an end (satisfying our desire for a simple, predictable world) at the expense of facing up to the reality of ‘diversity’

We have a moral ‘DUTY’ to treat people fairly so equality is perhaps a ‘universal maxim’ to be applied as a ‘categorical imperative’ to all