The Significance of Religion For Gynist and Gender Studies

Keyword : Religious Myths, Gynist Critique, Gender Studies, Sexist politics, misogyny.

Author(s) : MARIE PAULINE EBOH And MARAIZU ELECHI

Abstract :

The subjugation of women and the reconstruction of reality to masculine advantage are mostly rooted in religious myths. These myths foreground feminine disobedience as opposed to perpetual submissiveness thereby aiding and abetting sexism, misogyny and gender hierarchy. Long usage has made of these myths, God-given articles of faith. Consequently, the woman question dangles on the halter of faith and reason. On the front burner of this treatise are the myths of Pandora, Lilith, and Eve, the dress code for Moslem women, the purdah, the burning of widows in Hindu religion, the exclusion of women from Catholic priesthood, trokosi in African traditional religion, and the disparagement of women in general. The paper argues that religion is indubitably implicated in gender struggle. Adopting the critical analytic method, the research scrutinizes the significance of religion for emancipatory gynist and gender studies, with the conclusion that religion is significant for gender studies, especially gynist epistemology which, in its quest for the very truth, asks critical questions and unmasks sexist politics and fabrications, deconstructs masculine significations and cultural constructs, and brings philosophy to bear on gender issues.

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