Religion as a Method of Improvement for Gender Equality Essay -- Chris

Religion as a Method of Improvement for Gender EqualityAlthough women were still viewed and treated as second-class citizens, the status of women seemed improve infra Christianity, especially in go through to social interaction and Islam, especially in regard to legal rights much(prenominal) as inheritance laws. The improvement of womens situation was particularly articulate when compared to the even lesser status of women during the Greek and Roman periods. Improvement in the treatment of women under Christianity and Islam is evident in the religious texts of both of the religions. Christianitys The Gospel According to Mark and The First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians and Islams central religious text, The Koran, provide concrete evidence as to how womens treatment under Christianity and Islam was comparatively progressive.During the Greek period, women were viewed as inferior citizens, with no real rights. Although Greek drama portrayed many strong, remarkable women, like Antigone, what women in Greece actually go through was much different. The role of free women in Athens, and many other places in Greece, was confined to the private sphere of the household. Women were dependent to childbearing and supervising the work done in the household a womans value was based on her ability to advance legitimate heirs and to be a homemaker. Young girls were confined to their homes and received no formal education. Instead, their mothers taught them domestic skills, which were viewed as the only appropriate education for a woman at the time. Athenian women were considered unintelligent and submissive, and thus could not vote, bargain for or sell property, or press legal charges. Thus, Athenian women were viewed as idiots because they were unable to... ...ren (Cow 2233). Letting a man dictate a womans personal choices like this may seem surprise in todays society however, at the time, Islam was viewed as relatively progressive for women. Like with Christian ity, Islamic women are not mens equals, but instead are provided by Islam with additional rights than before. Under Islam, women experienced more progress than complacency. Thus, womens situation under Islam is more safe than their situation under Greek and Roman rule.Overall, womens status in society improved in many different aspectssocial, legal, and otherwiseunder both Islam and Christianity, especially when compared to the Greek and Roman periods. However, womens strive toward comparison did not stop with the improvements that came from the religions. Women today are continually struggling planetary to receive rights equal to that of men.