Sophie Shemas Feminism and Religion Generally thought that the two dont mix well Most practiced religions often based off patriarchal structure What about Hindu feminists Face a heightened challenge within India ID: 306885
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Slide1
Female Figures in Hinduism and Hindu Feminism in India
Sophie ShemasSlide2
Feminism and Religion?
Generally thought that the two don’t mix well
Most practiced religions often based off patriarchal structure
What about Hindu feminists?
Face a heightened challenge within India
How can the presence of goddesses within the religion influence the feminist cause?
Hindu definition
Feminist definition
Not easily defined in India
Body, mind, and soul acknowledgedSlide3
view on (human) women in hindu texts
Primary issue: the
Manusmriti
Outlines “code of conduct” for anyone following Hinduism, especially specific for women
“A virtuous wife should constantly serve her husband like a god, even if he behaves badly, freely indulges his lust, and is devoid of any good qualities […] It is because a wife obeys her husband that she is exalted in heaven”
Other texts reinforce gender bias and subjugation of women
Women created from the feet
Women are not worthy of trust
Counterarguments?Slide4
Issues for women in India
O
ppression strongest in rural areas (more traditional)
Sexual
harrassment
and violence/rape,
femicide
and female feticide, honor killings (sati), dowry-related murder, child marriage, etc.
Hinduism often used as an explanation for child marriage
U
p
to 136,000 women and girls
killed by
fire
each year (2012 statistic)
1,800,000 girls under age six died from domestic violence issues in the past two decades
93 women raped per day (2014 statistic)
Paros in areas with low ratio of women to men
General lack of education and care for womenSlide5
the argument for hindu feminism
Only major religion where female deities are worshipped
There is even a divine feminine creative energy (Devi/Shakti)
Everything is created from this absolute feminine
No male gods can exist without some feminine energy
Shaktism
: goddess worship
Shakta
cults
Conflict with god-worshipping cults in the past
Emphasis on goddesses that embody feminist beliefsSlide6
Feminist Goddesses?
Kali and
Durga
most commonly cited
Kali (the Dark One or the Dark Mother)
Associated with destruction
Monstrous in imagery
Dances on corpses
Durga
(the Invincible or the Inaccessible)
Known as a fighter of demons
Pictured with her Bengal tiger or lionSlide7
kali
Credit: http://
hinduperspective.files.wordpress.com
/2013/02/godess-kali-1.gif
Credit: http://
jessicarrot.files.wordpress.com
/2008/11/
kali.jpe?w
=510 Slide8
Durga
Credit:
www.ksiqno.blogspot.com
Slide9
Criticisms of kali and durga
Too one-dimensional and masculine
Primarily based off Western feminist ideals
But they are only pieces of the whole (Devi)
Also, there are other goddesses who represent characteristics that they seem to be missing
Lakshmi (goddess of light and prosperity)
Sarasvati
(goddess of wisdom/knowledge)
All retain characteristics often reserved for malesSlide10
non-goddess women in hindu myth
Not represented as such strong characters and not respected within their stories much of the time
Prime examples within two Hindu epics
The Ramayana
Sita
The Mahabharata
Draupadi
Despite their oppression within the epics, their actions and character traits can be seen in a feminist light
Sita’s
renunciation and
Draupadi’s
questionSlide11
The gender gap in india
Epics can be seen as a representation of the gender gap for women in India
D
isconnect between how goddesses are treated and how human women are treated
Emphasis on purity and obedience
Impact of hierarchal society
CasteSlide12
Challenges for Hindu Feminism
Essential to address the issue of the oppression of Indian women, especially Hindu women
Development of India, globalization
Hesitance to speak out among Hindu feminists
Could a revitalization of
Shaktism
and an emphasis on the strength and perseverance of human female characters help the Hindu feminist movement?
Hinduism as a uniting force for
Indian women