Religious Fundamentalism, Cross-Cultural Context of

When originally coined in the late 19th century, the term fundamentalism referred to a strand of theologically conservative Protestantism in the United States. Today, the term religious fundamentalism applies to conservative religious groups across the globe that protest or reject some aspects of modernity and secularization, and, in some cases, Westernization. Fundamentalist religious groups tend to hold traditional views on gender, sexuality, and the family. Since the emancipation of women and the diversification of family forms and sexualities are among the hallmarks of modernity and secularization, religious fundamentalism is often portrayed as an archaic, patriarchal, and oppressive regime.