Misogyny

History of Misogyny

Throughout the centuries, misogyny has flourished in the writings of classical Greek mythology and philosophers such as Aristotle who made it clear that they believed women were inferior to men. Nietzsche was also known for making derogatory statements about women in his writings.

[Page 575]The role of a woman was traditionally defined such that education could be denied to women as a group. Essentially, a woman's responsibility as mother and wife was seen as tantamount to her other roles in society, and formal education was not in keeping with her needs. In the United States, girls generally were not admitted into elementary schools (in the larger towns and cities) until the early 1900s. By this time, most major universities in Europe admitted women and had some provisions for educating women, but many still did not actually grant degrees to women. Inasmuch as education is seen as a valuable commodity, the denial of education to a class of people can be an illustration of malevolence toward that class.

Although religion has often served to temper overtly misogynistic tendencies, it has also been a bastion of misogyny. Instances of misogyny are well detailed in religious writings. It can be argued that misogyny is as old as humankind itself. For example, in the Bible, it is noted that God first created Adam and then Eve, and thus woman was created for man. Moreover, many places in the Bible connote misogynistic attitudes and behaviors directed toward women both at the individual and group level. For example, in the book of Genesis, due to Eve's disobedience, it is written that God punished Eve, and all women to follow, with the pain of childbirth; however, Adam was not similarly punished. Additional passages state that women should be silent and not allowed to speak in church and should be submissive and have no authority over their husbands (Corinthians 1:14). Even today, women are forbidden from being priests, bishops, cardinals, and popes in the Catholic Church, and Southern Baptists have decreed that women should not be pastors. Although other Christian religions have not been so dogmatic, there are few (if any) mainstream religions in which men are not allowed to hold leadership positions. Such attitudes and behaviors are by no means limited to Christian religions. For example, groups such as the Taliban, adhering to a strict interpretation of Islamic fundamentalism, have laws strictly limiting the rights of women, with severe consequences for violating such laws. Women are not permitted to work or be educated, and the penalty for women who choose not to wear the burka in public may include public beating. Thus, misogyny as a feature of religion is not limited to any one culture or society, but rather is pervasive across time and cultures.

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