Development of Feminism and Its Impact on Religion

Feminism is a movement concerned with the advocacy of uplifting the roles and status of women. This struggle of campaigning for women’s rights has started from the nineteenth century up to the present. It takes in various forms of protests and activities, all of which are geared towards the attainment of equal rights for women from different classes. This movement has gone across different borders including their struggle in the areas of politics, economics, social status, and in the religious aspect.
Over the history, the disparity of rights between males and females is noticeable. Women have become victims of discrimination and double standards. However, the growth of the feminist movements is considered successful in the way that women have become more empowered and represented in different arenas. In the area of religion, feminism has become a distinct philosophy and it has gained influence and respect from different groups. In certain religious groups, women are now allowed to hold certain positions of power.
Women are now ordained as clergy, hence granting them rights that were in the past held solely by men (“Feminism and Religion). Feminist philosophers of religion also became widely influential in the study of religion, and as such they were able to provide remarkable standpoints on how religion is to be viewed in a perspective that is beneficial to women. Thus, this has served as a useful tool for women in expressing their own beliefs, ideas and relate their experiences to other people in a way that they are properly heard without being negatively criticized (Frankenberry 2005).

This development in the feminist movement was able to seek transformation in the society by challenging social insitutions and attempting to change social norms and standards. The emergence of female heroic figures and saints is an example of how feminist movements have developed over time (Hunt 2004). The challenges posted by feminism became strong that feminists around the world were able to gather support and hasten changes in the society, not only in political and economic aspects, but also in the field of religion which was for long been dominated by men.