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Religions and How Women Play A Part Across the Board
The topic of Women and Religion typically examines the roles of and rules for women in a particular religion. For centuries, women were not allowed to do another and were deemed as second side citizens within religions. They were expected to play the roles mothers and wives and were rarely given leadership opportunities. In some religions however, such as African Indigenous Religions and Native American Traditions, women have more freedoms and are often leaders and healers alongside men as opposed to other religions such as Hinduism and Judaism where men are dominant over women. Although there are a number of feminists revolts and activism in efforts to change the narrative, to today's date, women are still being oppressed. These efforts are being made because women are becoming more interested in getting educated about their natural rights. However, not all women and young women have this privilege of being educated and for that reason, there is still injustice and extremely misogynistic systems around the world. In a survey done by The Pew Research Center carried out a survey around the world and included charts and diagrams displaying how gender and religion correlate. They also asked the question of which gender group is more religious throughout religions.

It is agreed that most of it is cultural and can be very controversial to talk about but we can not ignore the fact that simple civil rights are being exploited from only women in most religions. We can clearly see this being displayed in Indian cultures as explained in this journal titled, Santana Dharma. Hinduism is the oldest practiced religion in the world, especially in India where it stemmed. Its prehistoric roots branches of to traditions that are considered religion themselves. For women the Hindu texts are diverse yet conflicting for their standing. Ranging from leaders as divine goddess, to restricting them as housewife, obedient daughters and mother. In Hinduism everything is holy and sacred, everything has a purpose. Every individual strives to get closer to Brahman(gender-less divine reality). The Devi appears as the warrior goddess destroying demons, a world - mother nurturing the good, the creator, the sustainer, and the destroyer as different aspects of her, the one supreme. At one passage, husband and wife cannot dissolve a marriage, however, contradicts itself in other texts that allow for a divorce from an abusive or dishonest marriage. A woman is allowed to remarry by legal means.

Women experiences in Islam vary vastly within societies given their lives gives them common identity between them. Their influence has played an important role of shaping the status of them, written in the holy text, the Qur'an. Women are given guideline by the Qur'an which is on of the primary source of influence, however do not apply to situations over time. Therefore Islamic scholars developed a course of action for Muslims. Thus defining the secondary source of influence for women describing their behavior, roles and rights that obey religious requirements. As for the gender roles in Islam, men are expected to show masculinity while women demonstrate feminine values.

Their religion illustrates partnership; everything is created with a pair and can not function without the other. The religion also states that a home or family is the center of life or society. Muslim women roles were harsh, men could own slave women captured from wars fought. Slave women were sold without their consent and became a concubine, and birthed children that were automatically Muslim under Islamic law. The Quran encourages both man and woman to strive for knowledge, that it is a duty to gain talents and use their potential for the benefit of society. Records show that there were many female scholars in Islam, education was not restricted to mainly one sex. Women were free to choose which field they were interested.

Women that worshiped Christianity roles are different today when compared to their roles dating back to the New testament teachings. Many leadership roles were forbidden to women, they could not serve as a priests or deacons. Only men could become high leaders as pope and bishop. This is entirely controversial because there are many significant female characters in the bible such as the virgin Mary, Martha, Eve, and many more. However, women today are now given leaderships roles. Misogyny ideals are still presented and displayed today in some Christian denominations. For example, in the Catholic denomination, there has never existed a female pope or bishop. Whereas, in dominations such as Methodist and Episcopal, the roles are not as limiting and women serve as pastors, bishops, reverends, prayer leaders and many more. Women were restricted to abbesses.