Alternative Gender Roles
Anthropology 101
My research will try to explain and discuss the differences in spiritual as well as cultural situations between men and women gender roles. Hopefully I will give the understanding of why woman have to obey the man in spite of the spiritual hierarchy and why woman continue to play the subservient role there. Gender roles differ in all parts of the world. These pivotal elements of obedience derived from a patriarchal society that expects women to play the subservient position. Is it fair for women to have the same rights as men? Some people would think so. Some cultures have strict rules where the women are not allowed to play the roles of men. Sometimes there is a society that men actually play the role of a woman. Just depends where in the world you live. In ancient India woman played a very important role of being superior to men. One must recognize the Hindu scripture guidelines to a woman’s role in the Hindu society in order to understand their role in Hinduism cultures.
This vague generalization of a woman’s role in the religious spectrum leaves open interpretation for woman. For the way they interpret the guidelines conflict arises when men criticize women. Hindu scriptures are the heart of the Indian culture. It’s the way they express themselves in their way of life. Hinduism scriptures hold the highest authority towards woman positions and more importantly how they have to or choose to obey their husbands. Laws are enforced in the community which is to further let it be known that the husband is in total control over his wife. Even though the most powerful goddesses and gods are women in the Hindu religion the women are expected to fill subservient roles. If Hindu scriptures can be perceived as the highest authority, what are the scriptures views on the position of women? Women have the same religious and spiritual freedoms in Hinduism as men. Hindu cultured women strive for equality but they are forced to be subservient by people with authority. Their husbands treat them as servants and as long as you’re married you will be subservient to your husband.
The Hindu laws focus on the women as wives and emphasizing how women should act around men. The duty of the woman is to be submissive to the man always in the Hindu society. From early age in self sacrifice the female is trained to obey her father and when married her husband and she’s never allowed to do anything on her own or make the decision to and act on it. Her husband is to be worshiped like he’s her God. At all times she’s to remain faithful to him and no matter what he does. He could cheat and she has no say. She would just have to grin and bare it. In Saudi Arabia gender roles are really different from what we know as Americans. Over there it’s stricter and women are more restricted in personal freedom than we go through in America. In Saudi Arabia 30% of the females are illiterate. Under the required guardianship of a male for all of their lives they are denied different or a lot privileges. They face obstacles in gender equality. Education in the US is easy to obtain whereas in Saudi Arabia its not. Non religious education is looked at as unsuitable for females in some parts of Saudi Arabia. If the females in those areas wanted a job it would be difficult. Luckily we here in the US we don’t have to go that. The woman there would have a hard time getting a job because of the lack of education. In the US both genders are allowed to have an education. Also they would be guaranteed an education until they reach the age of 18.
