Women and Religion

Religion is a sensitive issue particularly when it comes to the position of women. Depending on the religion, women have more equality then others. In different religions today, many have become more lenient allowing women to work and not just stay home. Some religions still perceive women as the keeper of the house and children while the man goes to work. In the Jewish community they practice sex segregation, women on one side and men on the other. They do this to prevent the women from “distracting” the men during prayer services and church. Or in the Islamic culture women must cover themselves up to as much as their entire body hands and face using the niqabs which covers everything but the eyes of a woman. They do this because in their religion, they are taught to cover their “awrah” which is the intimate parts of their bodies. Women are seen to have more restrictions as to what they must have covered like their hair and entire body. The women must do this in order to not entice men to look at them and lead them to covet them, flirt with them, and lose focus. In a sense they are really saying it would be a women’s fault if a man were to find her attractive merely by seeing her hair. This makes women inferior no matter how you look at it. Women must cover entirely while the men are free to dress with fewer limitations.
Women have come a long way when it comes to religious rules in how women should be. I believe progression is still being made and will take years before women will have the complete choice on certain issues. It also goes back to how the women were raised and what they have become acquainted with. Some women like and agree with the ways they know and others go just go along with it because they do not have much of a say. As the years go on, women will get more freedom and options according to their religion.