Example research essay topic: Equal With Men Roles And Responsibilities - 1,217 words

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Women play an important role in any society. In many cultures, a woman looks after the family while the man works to support them. Not all women look after the family, as many have full time careers. Womens education is encouraged almost everywhere, allowing women to better themselves. Education allows for better career opportunities. In most societies, the role a woman chooses to take for herself is often a choice rather than a restriction.

In Islamic societies, however, women seem to be forced into certain roles and responsibilities. These restrictions often seem to elevate a mans status and importance in society while degrading a womans status. While the Koran and Islamic society state that the two sexes are equal in religious and legal aspects, the two sexes have very different roles within the society. These roles and responsibilities push women down, and create an unjust standard of living between the sexes. The Koran is meant to be the everlasting word of God, and is the text that guides Islamic society. According to The Dahl, women received through the Koran a religious status equal to that of men as believers, and in addition legal status as an independent subject.

In pre-Islamic society, women were often considered the property of their men, and did not enjoy much freedom. Men would control the womens actions, often dictating their lives. As Islam and the word of Allah spread, a society was formed on religious beliefs, and based on the literal text of the Koran women were to be treated as equals. Given that the word of the Koran is the word of God, then women in Islamic society should be treated as equal with men. If women were granted equal religious matters and given independent legal status, then in a society, which revolves around religion, women, should have the same rights as men, and given freedoms to make their own decisions pertaining to most issues. However, women in Islamic society are often not treated as equals with men.

Although the Koran allows women the same religious and legal status as men, the same text also allows men to remain in a dominant position over women. Many times women are not allowed to be independent and free, as they are forced to raise a family, be obedient to their husband, and follow certain laws, which favor men, and at the same time push women down. The text of the Koran often times limits the actions and decisions of women, despite granting them the same religious and legal status as men. These variances in the Koran continue to put men on a hierarchy compared to women. One of the more amazing aspects of Islamic society is that the oppression of women by men revolves around one central verse of the Koran. Verse 4: 34, according to traditional understanding, has been used as a weapon to subjugate women in the name of Islam.

The verse has four parts: 1) Men are guardians of women and hence their rulers; 2) Women must obey their husbands if they are to consider themselves good Muslim women; 3) After due admonition and punitive separation, the husband has a right to beat his wife if he fears willfulness; and 4) If the woman refuses to accept this form of subjugation, the husband can divorce her. When we look at some of the written as well as customs of Judaism, it is not too hard to see why there is a big push in the feminist movement to reshape the roles of women in Judaism. Many women believe that their roles in Judaism are inferior to that of men, and they are attempting to shift some of the emphasis away from men and towards themselves. The first thing that should be noted in Judaism is that all interpretations of the Torah and Talmud, including womens roles have been made by men. Since women were not given the chance to study or interpret their religion, all of the authority has been placed in the hands of men. As a result, many women feel that men, as the dominant sex, have interpreted the religion in their favor, placing women with unequal, subordinate roles.

The unequal relationship between the two sexes becomes obvious when we look at a few of the Jewish laws such as, divorce, and the constant reference to God as the masculine pronoun he. One of the first unequal relationships that we can look at begins with the creation of man. The book of Genesis contains a passage which states that, God created man first and then the woman second, out of the males rib (Genesis 1: 2). This can suggest some sort of hierarchy, where the male sex in Gods eyes, is superior to the female sex.

Although there is another interpretation of the creation of mankind, where both the male and female are created equal in the image of the Creator, (Genesis 1: 1) some feminist point the finger at the males rib interpretation, to express the inequality within Judaism. Women are also subordinate to men in Christianity. The Bible and the church have been the greatest obstacles in the way of womans emancipation. Women, considered a lower class than the men, wanted this subjugation changed.

Part of the reason for the subjugation of women is that the Bible could be interpreted in many different ways to suit the needs of the interpreter. The interpretations of the Bible are in part responsible for the belief that women are of a lower class than men. We see examples of these beliefs when we look at the church, the daily lives of women, and the media. Looking at 1 Timothy 2: 11 - 12, we see why our religious society could be interpret the Bible this way: Let a woman learn in silence with all submission, and do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.

Along with the belief that women must be submissive and silent, there is also the belief that women are the cause of mens downfall and therefore are evil. In the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis, God tells Adam and Eve that there is one tree in the garden of which they must not eat. Deceived by the devil, Eve eats fruit from the tree and then persuades Adam to eat it. This act historically displays the deception of man by woman and has put women in a very bad light. I Timothy 2: 13 - 14 states: For Adam was formed from Eve, and Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Therefore, the basic belief that women are the cause of mens downfall is obsolete.

However, the main reason of subordination of women to men in these three religions is tradition. Today, feminists are trying to break this tradition; while they point out; they have nothing against their religion. Men always possessed power, and traditions of the past, which were originated by men, successfully reached modern times. Women try to challenge current situation by drawing public attention (in Muslim society it is almost impossible to do so) to the points that depict women equal with men in their rights. These points are fortunately present in each religion.

Research essay sample on Equal With Men Roles And Responsibilities