🧛🏽Sociology of Religion Unit 7 – Gender, Sexuality & Religion in Society

Key Concepts and Terminology

• Gender refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviors, expressions and identities of girls, women, boys, men, and gender diverse people
• Sex is the classification of people as male, female, intersex, or another sex based on a combination of anatomy, hormones, and chromosomes
• Sexuality encompasses sex, gender identities and roles, sexual orientation, eroticism, pleasure, intimacy and reproduction
• Heteronormativity is the belief that heterosexuality is the default, preferred, or normal mode of sexual orientation
• Patriarchy is a social system in which men hold primary power and predominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege and control of property
• Feminism is a range of social movements, political movements, and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes
• Intersectionality is a framework for understanding how aspects of a person's social and political identities combine to create different modes of discrimination and privilege
  • Includes factors such as gender, caste, sex, race, sexuality, religion, disability, physical appearance, and class

Historical Context of Gender and Sexuality in Religion

• Many ancient religions featured goddesses and female religious leaders, suggesting more egalitarian gender roles in some early societies
• The rise of patriarchal religions like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam institutionalized male dominance and restricted women's religious and social roles
• Medieval Christianity promoted celibacy as a spiritual ideal and stigmatized non-procreative sexuality as sinful
• The Protestant Reformation challenged Catholic views on celibacy and allowed clergy to marry, but maintained patriarchal gender norms
• 19th and 20th century feminist movements advocated for women's rights and challenged traditional religious views on gender and sexuality
  • Suffrage movements fought for women's right to vote (New Zealand 1893, US 1920)
  • Second-wave feminism in the 1960s-80s addressed a wide range of issues including sexuality, family, the workplace, reproductive rights, and official legal inequalities
• LGBTQ rights movements in the late 20th century sought greater acceptance and legal protections for sexual and gender minorities

Major Religious Perspectives on Gender Roles

• Conservative and orthodox interpretations of many religions emphasize complementary but unequal gender roles
  • Men as leaders and providers, women as nurturers and homemakers
• Liberal and progressive interpretations allow for more egalitarian and flexible gender roles based on individual gifts and callings
• Many religions have historically excluded women from leadership and sacred roles
  • Catholic and Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Orthodox Judaism continue to restrict ordination to men
• Some religions accord women equal or prominent status
  • Pentecostal Christianity, Wicca, and various New Age and neo-pagan spiritualities
• Feminist theology reinterprets male-dominated religious traditions from a gender-equal perspective
  • Rejects masculine God imagery in favor of gender-neutral or feminine divine imagery
  • Critiques patriarchy and sexism as social constructs not divinely ordained
• LGBTQ-affirming religious groups challenge traditional heteronormative teachings and fully include sexual and gender minorities

Sexuality and Religious Doctrine

• Most world religions have traditionally restricted sexual activity to monogamous, procreative, heterosexual marriage
• Many religions prohibit or stigmatize non-marital sex, same-sex relations, contraception, abortion, and other sexual and reproductive practices
  • Traditional Islamic law prescribes severe punishments for zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), liwat (sodomy) and sihaq (lesbian sexual activity)
  • Catholic doctrine opposes all contraception, abortion, and homosexual acts as contrary to natural law
• Some religious traditions allow for a wider range of sexual and relational expression
  • Reform and Reconstructionist Judaism accept same-sex marriage and relationships
  • Many neo-pagan and Wiccan groups celebrate sexuality as a sacred gift
• Liberal religious interpretations may distinguish between broad ethical principles and culturally specific sexual norms in scripture and tradition
• LGBTQ-affirming theology argues that sexual and gender diversity are part of God's creation to be celebrated, not condemned
• Reproductive justice frameworks advocate for the right to have children, not have children, and parent in safe and sustainable communities

Intersectionality: Gender, Sexuality, and Religious Identity

• Intersectionality examines how gender and sexuality intersect with other aspects of identity and social location, including race, class, culture, and religion
• Women and LGBTQ people of color often experience compounded discrimination and marginalization based on their multiple minority identities
  • Black Muslim women confront sexism, racism, and Islamophobia
  • Latina lesbian Catholics may feel excluded by machismo culture, homophobia, and religious conservatism
• Intersectional analysis reveals how apparently gender- or sexuality-neutral religious teachings can have disparate impacts
  • Encouraging women to be stay-at-home mothers disproportionately affects lower-income women who need to work
  • Opposition to same-sex marriage and parenting has greater consequences for LGBTQ people of color who lack family support
• Inclusive religious spaces need to address multiple, intersecting forms of oppression and marginalization, not just one
• Womanist and mujerista theologies center the experiences and insights of Black and Latina women, respectively
• Queer theology examines religion through the lenses of LGBTQ identities and critiques heteronormativity and cisnormativity

Contemporary Debates and Social Movements

• Ordination of women and LGBTQ people remains contested in many religious institutions
  • While women have made gains, majority of major religious leaders worldwide are still men
• Same-sex marriage has gained acceptance in some denominations but is rejected by many conservative religious groups
• Transgender issues have emerged as a new frontier in religious debates over gender and sexuality
  • Some faiths have welcomed transgender members, while others resist transgender identities as unnatural or sinful
• Reproductive rights, including contraception and abortion access, continue to be influenced by religious teachings and activism
  • Catholic hospitals' refusal to provide certain reproductive services affects many patients
• Sexual abuse crises have rocked the Catholic Church and other religious institutions, highlighting issues of power, sexuality, and gender
• #MeToo and #ChurchToo movements have exposed sexual harassment, abuse and assault in religious contexts
• Religious support for feminism and LGBTQ rights is growing but still faces substantial opposition from conservative believers

Case Studies and Real-World Examples

• United Methodist Church faces potential schism over same-sex marriage and LGBTQ clergy
  • Mainline Protestant denominations have split into liberal and conservative wings over these issues
• Catholic Church's refusal to ordain women based on tradition and Jesus choosing male apostles
  • Pope Francis has upheld this teaching while calling for a "deeper theology of women"
• Islamic feminists advocate for gender equality and women's rights within the framework of Islam
  • Reinterpret Quranic verses and hadith traditions to support female leadership and challenge patriarchal norms
  • Still a minority view within Islam, facing backlash from conservatives
• Evangelical purity culture movements promote sexual abstinence before heterosexual marriage
  • Critics argue these reinforce gender stereotypes and shame those who don't conform
• Magdalene laundries were institutions from the 18th to the late 20th centuries to house "fallen women"
  • Operated by the Roman Catholic Church to confine sexually "immoral" women, including prostitutes and unwed mothers
• Faith-based LGBTQ organizations like Dignity (Catholic) and Keshet (Jewish) provide community and advocate for inclusion

Impact on Society and Culture

• Religious teachings on gender and sexuality have shaped laws, social norms, family structures, and cultural practices throughout history
• Many countries' laws on marriage, divorce, reproductive rights, gender roles, and LGBTQ rights are rooted in religious traditions
  • Israel's lack of civil marriage and reliance on religious authorities reflects Orthodox Jewish norms
  • Many Muslim-majority countries criminalize same-sex relations based on traditional Islamic law
• Secularization has reduced religion's influence on gender and sexuality in some societies, but religion remains a powerful force globally
• Debates over religious freedom, gender equality, and LGBTQ rights have become major political and cultural flashpoints
  • Hobby Lobby Supreme Court case exempted some religious employers from covering contraception
  • Masterpiece Cakeshop case pitted religious liberty against LGBTQ non-discrimination
• Changing religious views on gender and sexuality have contributed to broader cultural shifts
  • Religious support for same-sex marriage has increased along with growing social acceptance
• Religion continues to shape individual and collective beliefs, practices, and identities related to gender and sexuality in complex ways