Gender and Religion: A Discourse Analysis of Gender Roles and Status Across Religious Perspectives
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64420/jgmds.v3i1.498Keywords:
Gender, Religion, Gender Equality, Patriarchy, Discourse AnalysisAbstract
Background: Gender inequality is frequently legitimized through religious interpretations, despite core theological doctrines fundamentally affirming values of human equality. Objective: This study aims to examine how gender discourse is constructed across religious perspectives and identify both existing paradigms of equality and practical implementation challenges. Method: This study employs a qualitative approach using gender discourse analysis through a literature review of religious texts and academic sources. The analysis was conducted through stages of data reduction, thematic categorization, power relation analysis, and critical interpretation. Results: All religions examined in this study possess normative foundations that support gender equality in spiritual, social, and moral dimensions. However, social practices remain influenced by patriarchal culture, as reflected in the restriction of women’s roles, male dominance in leadership, and bias in the interpretation of religious teachings. Conclusion: Religion plays an ambivalent role as both a source of legitimization and a driver of social transformation toward gender justice. Originality/Value: This study expands theoretical and discursive perspectives in the fields of sociology of religion, gender studies, and critical discourse analysis by uncovering the ambivalent role of religion as both an instrument of legitimization and a catalyst for social transformation, demonstrating that normative religious foundations affirm spiritual and moral equality despite persistent patriarchal constraints in social practice regarding gender roles and status construction across religious traditions, an area that remains insufficiently explored through comparative discourse analysis. These findings enrich existing conceptual literature and serve as a strategic reference and contribution to advancing contextual and inclusive religious hermeneutics, informing gender responsive interfaith dialogues, and designing equitable social policies.
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