Cultural practices that discriminate against women


by Arrey Echi

Culture is very important and it is an integral part in the life of every human being. This is because to a larger extent, it helps to create and identity the social norms people conform to. Culture, notwithstanding the benefits, has proved to be a great burden and hindrance to the womenfolk of any given society, most especially Africa and third world countries. Many women have had to suffer violence, discrimination, and other heinous practices which are carried out in the name of culture. These practices highly discriminate against women and serve as an impediment to the moral and societal advancement of women. Most often, these cultural practices come about basically due to male machismo and the desire to remain dominant and suppress the womenfolk. Feminists and other gender activists have decried these customs that discriminate against and degrade the woman. The focus of this article is on some of these practices.

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a cultural practice that discriminates against women. There are often far reaching emotional and psychological consequences on girls who undergo this practice. It involves the total or partial removal of the labia minora and clitoris of the woman and is widespread in most African and Arab countries with predominantly Muslim communities. This is usually based in the belief that FGM curbs or deadens the sexual appetite of the woman and thus prevents promiscuity. However, studies show that this is not often the case as some girls who undergo this practice are still promiscuous. The damage that results because of this practice cannot be over emphasized; bleeding which may result in death, emotional scars with lifelong consequences, threat of diseases including AIDS, etc.

Widowhood rites are another cultural practice that discriminates against the woman. In addition to the pain of losing a loved one in death, the bereaved woman is forced to undergo some harsh practices. These usually are many and varied, such as sleeping besides the corpse of the late husband, moving about barefooted or even asked to drink the water used to bath the corpse as proof that she is not responsible for the death of her husband. The consequences that result from such practices are just too numerous to name here. Reasons exist for why many women would gladly prefer to die than face these customs and rituals, for example, dowry deaths that were so common in India.

The custom of inheritance greatly discriminates against the woman. In most socities, the girl child is slighted when it comes to inheritance. Most often the rights of the first born are usually taken away if the first born is a girl due to the belief that eventually shell marry and leave behind the family house and name. This is especially true in most African cultures. Brothers of the deceased husband in case of a death usually come and take everything away because as they claim the woman is property as such property cannot inherit property.' Most do not even bother or care if there are children to fend for.

Forced or arranged marriages are customs and cultural practices that also discriminate against women. Many young girls are betrothed at birth to men who are usually old enough to be their grandfathers. When they mature, many of them do not have a say, as is often the case, as the family has already eaten the mans cattle, used his money, etc. It is thus either they go ahead and marry the man or see their family go bankrupt, in which case the blame for whatever happens is placed squarely on their shoulders. Not wanting to face this, most girls give in and in the long run, face a life of misery as they are often maltreated by their aged husbands, co-wives, etc.

They are also expected to perform mean tasks that threaten their health and even lives. Added to this is the practice of bride price and dowry. Many men mistake the real meaning

behind this bride price and consider it as price of purchase. In fact, it is common to hear men say concerning their wives; I bought her with my money, so she must do as I say and, if she refused, she will get nothing.' They thus view the woman as a purchased good that can be used and disposed of at will. In some societies, the amount of dowry a woman brings lays the groundwork and determines the way her husband and in-laws will treat her. There are many contemporary developments worldwide in which hostile perceptions and modern prejudice function as influencing compulsions. Ethnicity, culture, social cohesion and modern prejudices have all been found to have very little effect on quality of life (Michalos & Zumbo, 2000). The only controversy then lies in some other component of attitudes. If prejudice is considered the affective component the feelings we have about particular group (Baron et al., 2005, p.190), and discrimination concernsactions taken toward members of specific social groups (Baron et al., 2005, p.190), then the only component that acts as a driving force, impacting lifestyle, could only be the cognitive construct of stereotyping.

Antagonistic stereotyped convictions induce hostile feelings which then command or direct prejudice and discrimination towards particular groups or communities.

A good example of gender stereotyping is the attitude towards women in the Middle East. The harm could be expressed in the negative side of this stereotype where females are perceived as breakable, delicate, feeble and inferior human beings, who are capable of reproduction only. They are generally viewed as strongly attached emotional, sympathetic and caring, but not that intelligent, capable and independent. Such attitudes very naturally prevent competent and educated women from entering professional fields, practices, and attaining high-level positions in organizations. Glass ceiling and differential respect are outcomes in the region if ever a national female enters a working environment. Men receive higher assessments and remunerations, as well as hiring recommendations and respect. These issues seem rooted and originating from the religion, that then influence segregation in education; family laws that undermine the status of women, and the religious practices which separate men and women during prayers and Ramadan.

Despite INSEAD findings that male bias in Saudi Arabia is present, but not extremely strong (Marmenout, 2009), the nature of the sample proves otherwise, because only uppermiddle class students from private universities of Anglo-Saxon influence have only been studied. The importance of females in business development is essential for the progressing of contemporary market economy (Mathew, 2010) and therefore womens participation has to be viewed as having identical status as males.

Tan, (2007), states that womens significant contribution in the development of emerging markets is underestimated and understudied, and therefore their participation should be encouraged. He finds out that women are not as great risk-takers as men are, but eventually they outperform male representatives (Tan, 2007). Similar results suggest that more strategies for prejudice reductions are needed in order to minimize gender stereotyping in relation to female competence. The concept of social identity theory, according to Taylor et al., 2008, offers the idea that female group members should be motivated to improve their rating and status. This in result will bring psychological advantages, material benefits, and chances for economic advance - and thus reduction of stereotyping (Taylor et al., 2008). What could be more effective in Middle Eastern countries however, is the contact hypothesis. Contact hypothesis brings formerly separated groups into contact, reduces anxiety between members of the different groups and thus reduces prejudices (Baron et al., 2005).

Pointing at females who have achieved high status and position in society could prove as another beneficial strategy for maintenance and reduction of prejudice. Baron et al., (2005), states that when people are given evidence proving that members of their group hold less prejudiced views than them (Baron et al., 2005, p. 220) they display convictions that they see as acceptable for their own group. Researchers who consider the social psychology of intergroup relations in different groups also support that (Kaba & Ward, 2009; Warner, 2008).

Female and male identities are better to be viewed as functions within social structural contexts than as unique processes with singular drives. These perspectives will in themselves

guide to the easier recategorization effectively erasing previously primed attitudes or tendencies to divide the social world into us and them.

The lists of these cultural practices are endless. Women are sometimes forbidden to eat certain foods considered as taboo, such as eggs. The practice of selective abortion that leads to the abortion of female fetuses also discriminates against women. In fact, culture while praiseworthy, has led to a lot of discrimination against the womenfolk.

http://www.helium.com/items/1881328-women-and-culture

GUIDE : Euphemisms = Death can be changed with phrase like = Departure of life = Abortion also seems to be harsh since the author failed to state about manner of abortion and I consider as forced abortion and the word abortion suitable to be used like deliberate termination of pregnancy or miscarriage. There is some persuasive language used in this article like this phrase In addition to the pain of losing a loved one in death, the bereaved woman is forced to undergo some harsh practices. These usually are many and varied, such as sleeping besides the corpse of the late husband, moving about barefooted or even asked to drink the water used to bath the corpse as proof that she is not responsible for the death of her husband . The author manage to raise a reasonable reason that women have been discriminated by a man until they have been forced to do some ridicule ritual like what have been stated above and the author try to persuade readers by describes women must be loyal to her late husband even her husband is CORPSE. What can I evaluated from this article, the author had done some mistakes during wrote this article like the author always attacking religious practises without investigate and do deep penetration towards this issue. For instance, when she states about disadvantage of female genital mutilation which is potentially brought injury and disease. She never knows why told to do so because it also relate with hygiene and it will not result in anything if this process performed by an expert by thorough operation. Next why she need to described about separation of men and women during prayer and Ramadan whereas she is not a Muslim and she just an blind observer. Muslim pray to get pure concentrates in his prayer and typically human will lost his grip if they are mixed in one group. Not every human is impeccable. So, got a benefit why Allah separate men and women in prayers. Wallahualam.