From research so far, it is proved that gender inequality has done more harm to our society than good. Worse a thing is that it was not noticed not until recently . Gender inequality has been in existence since time immemorial following the creationist account of creation in which it is from only one of the many ribs of Adam was Eve created. This already shows that the women are unequal where men are.
A lot of factors have necessitated gender inequality particularly CULTURE and RELIGION.
Culture we know from a simple or literary definition is the people's way of life. In other words, it is the way people live their lives daily. Religion on the other hand is a medium of communication to either God or Demon. It is evident in our society that anything which has its basis on Culture and religion remains problematic to curtail most especially when it is an illness to the society.
CULTURE AS AN AGENT OF GENDER INEQUALITY
Some cultures have been agents to the promotion and propagation of gender inequality for instance: Igbo culture where the man is seen as the head of the family. He is the almighty and like a god to the woman. The women in the family , id est, wife has no say. She is to endure everything and always try to please his husband. If his husband finds her not pleasing any more, he will leave her and marry another wife. Women in Igbo traditional indigenous society is seen as one of the properties of the man.
Women are not valued in Igbo culture like the men that are valued . The boys are always seen as the real children from God while the girls are seen as just a mistake from God. It is evident in the type of expressions they display when a child is born. If they ask, "what did she give birth to and it is said " a girl" they will say, " God has done it again". They will not rejoice very much. If it is a boy, they will say " the joy of a child is unending". They will be singing and dancing. Even in the inheritance of a property, the girl child has no say in her father's property. These high concentrated gender inequality are also seen in some other cultures like the Jewish culture.
RELIGION AS AN INSTRUMENT FOR GENDER INEQUALITY
Coming to religious setting on how it has promoted gender inequality, it can be seen from all angles because women are stripped off from some certain privileges which men enjoys. For instance in the christian bible a good number of gender inequality can be seen. St Paul writing to the Ephesians instructed the women to be submissive to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22-33). To be submissive means to do everything at his will. Women were never given any serious post in the bible. Any talk from a woman is never believed. Even in this contemporary christian world, women are never allowed to hold some certain positions. Women never became pope, deacon, priest (particularly in the Roman Catholic Church).
From another perspective, women doesn't love to stress themselves too much unlike the men who are known to be struggling to make life better for his family. Nature has also contributed by making women fragile. This brought the notion that woman are meant to eat the wealth. By nature women have soft skins and are soft in everything they do. Instead of working , they prefer to use their sexual powers to get what they want at ease.
Finally, the aforementioned elements make it seems impossible for the feminist movement which is fighting for gender equality to succeed. Nevertheless, it is better for our society to give equal opportunities to both sexes. It will be an added advantage to the men. It has been recorded that the death rate of men is 75 over 25 of women. The reason is that men over work themselves but if their is equality in gender, both sexes will be working at the same time for the betterment of the family, society and the world at large.
©️ Abonyi Hyginus Ebuka
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