Liberal Feminists & Religion

Charlotte Butler (1995)

Women are liberated when wearing hijabs & niqabs.They are liberated from society's beauty expectations & not judged on their appearance (especially when wearing the niqab)It gives them a sense of belonging, community, and identity.Renewed Vigour: women return to their belief in the wake of persecution.There is a movement from cultural to religious identity- women identify as Muslim rather than Pakistani/British/immigrant.Religion is increasingly more important to Muslim women because they treat it as a code of life, and the environment they grew up in strengthens their allegiance to the religion.Culture (its values&attitudes) oppresses women, not religion.

EvaluationMany drawbacks: prejudice judgement assumptions practical limitations, eg jobs Western culture assumes Asian women are forced into arranged marriages and that Muslim women are suppressed and isolated, subordinate to their men and kept like prisoners in their homes. Many of these women's mothers and grandmothers didn't wear them, but they broke the tradition and did.

Linda Woodhead (2002)

'Religious forms of Feminism'Women are using religion to challenge patriarchal society.Therefore religion is liberating for women.For example, women are wearing niqabs to challenge the judgemental patriarchal society.

Helen Watson (1994)

'Women and the veil'women are empowered when wearing the niqab.They show that words are more important that looks, because they can communicate without having to worry about their looks/appearance. "The niqab helps avoid the 'lecherous stares' (male gaze)"- Nadia, a second generation Asian woman

Criticisms:Three women in the study- very lacking in representativeness.None of the women in the study felt forced or a compulsion to wear a veil. Some women do.In some societies the practice is compulsory. Eg since the 1970s it is illegal for a woman to leave the house without wearing a hijab.

Issues/Conclusions

Statistically, there are more women in religion.Why would there be more women in religions if it oppresses them?Are they there for maintenance of conflict? Or for solidarity and harmony?