🏛️ Tradition
Some people say that men and women have always had different roles, so these roles should carry on. Others reply that a custom is not a good reason to treat people unequally.
Rights, Equality and Social Justice: Key Ideas » Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women
What you'll learn this session
Study time: 30 minutes
Edexcel spec: Paper 1, 4.2
- The status and role of women in society, and why attitudes differ
- How equal rights for women grew in the UK, and what gender bias still looks like
- The status and role of women in religious communities, and how far equal rights are practised there
- Why humanists support full equality
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Unlock This CourseThe status and role of women in society
The status of a group means how much respect, power and importance society gives it. The role of a group means the jobs and duties it is expected to do. For much of history, in many societies, women had lower status than men. They were often expected to look after the home and children, while men went out to work and made the big decisions. Today, in the UK, women work in every kind of job, but attitudes still differ.
Key terms:
- Equal rights: the same legal rights for everyone, whatever their sex.
- Equal opportunities: the same chance to get an education, a job or a position of power.
- Gender bias: treating people unfairly because of their sex.
- Sexism: unfair treatment, or an attitude that one sex is less able or less important than the other.
- Stereotype: a fixed idea about what a group of people are like or should do.
- Egalitarian: believing that people are equal and should have equal rights.
- Ordination: being officially made a priest, minister or rabbi.
Why do attitudes to women differ?
Different people give different reasons for their views about the role of women. Learn these five.
🙏 Religion
Some people base their views on their religion's teachings. Believers in the same religion can read the same teachings in different ways, so their attitudes can differ too.
💪 Biology
Some people point to physical differences, such as women giving birth, and argue that this should shape their roles. Others say that biology does not decide what jobs a person can do.
💰 Economics
When families need money, women's work may be needed. In other times or places, jobs have been kept for men.
📚 Education
People who have been taught that girls and boys are equally able tend to support equality. Where girls are kept out of education, old ideas about women's roles are more likely to last.
The growth of equal rights in the UK
In the UK, equal rights and equal opportunities for women have grown step by step, helped by campaigners and new laws.
- 1918: some women gained the vote in general elections. They had to be over 30 and meet certain conditions, such as owning property.
- 1928: women gained the vote on the same terms as men, at the age of 21.
- Equal Pay Act 1970: made it illegal to pay a woman less than a man for the same or similar work.
- Sex Discrimination Act 1975: made it illegal to treat someone unfairly because of their sex, for example in jobs or education.
- Equality Act 2010: brought earlier laws together. It covers England, Wales and Scotland (Northern Ireland has its own equality laws). It protects nine characteristics, among them sex, race, religion or belief, disability and sexual orientation.
Because of these changes, more women now work in jobs once held mainly by men, take part in politics and hold leading roles in business and public life. In the wider world, progress is uneven. New Zealand was the first self-governing country to give women the vote, in 1893, while in some countries women still have fewer legal rights than men.
Gender bias in society
Laws do not end unfair treatment overnight. Gender bias can still be seen today.
📈 The pay gap
On average, women in the UK are still paid less per hour than men. Reasons include women doing more part-time work and fewer women in the best-paid jobs.
👥 Stereotypes
Ideas such as 'nursing is for women' or 'engineering is for men' can put people off jobs they would be good at.
👶 Unequal share of caring
Women often do more of the unpaid work of looking after children and relatives. This can limit the hours or jobs they can take.
🏢 Under-representation
Fewer women than men hold top jobs in politics and business, so women's voices may be heard less often.
🚫 Sexism
Jokes, insults or rules that treat one sex as lesser are sexist.
🎓 Girls' education
In some countries girls are less likely than boys to go to school, for example because of poverty, early marriage or local custom. Without education, girls have fewer chances later.
Women in religious communities
Religions are very varied, so this is only a general picture. Many religions teach that men and women are equally valued, for example because all people are made or loved by God. But the roles of women inside religious communities have often been different from those of men, and believers disagree about whether this is right.
🙏 Leadership and ordination
In some religious groups women can be ordained (officially made a priest, minister or rabbi). In others only men can be ordained or lead worship.
🎵 Roles in worship
Some communities ask women and men to sit apart or to take different parts in services. Others let them take the same parts.
📖 Reading scripture
A traditional reading says that sacred writings give men and women different roles. An egalitarian reading says that the main message is equality, and that older rules about women belonged to their time.
⚖️ 'Equal but different'
Some believers say that men and women are equal in worth but have different roles. Critics say that different roles often mean unequal power.
How far are equal rights practised? It depends on the community. Some religious groups have fully equal roles, and many women are leaders, teachers and campaigners for their faith. Others keep some roles for men only. People who support those rules say they follow God's wishes. Critics call this gender bias in religious communities, because it limits what women may do. Believers can be on both sides of this debate.
Non-religious support for equality
Humanists do not believe in God, and they base their ethics on reason, shared human feelings and fairness. They argue that women and men have the same abilities to think, feel and contribute, so they should have the same rights and opportunities. They see no reason to limit anyone because of their sex, and many support laws and campaigns for full equality.
Common mistakes
Common mistakes
- Saying all religions treat women badly, or that none do. Views differ between religions and inside each one.
- Mixing up equal rights (the law) and equal opportunities (the real chance to succeed). A law can exist while bias remains.
- Muddling the dates. Women first voted in 1918 and gained equal terms in 1928. The Equal Pay Act 1970 came before the Sex Discrimination Act 1975.
- Saying that 'equal but different' means unequal. Supporters say it means equal worth with different roles. Say what both sides think.
Exam-style question
(a) Identify three laws that have helped to give women equal rights in the UK. [3 marks] (Paper 1, AO1)
(b) Outline two examples of gender bias in society. [4 marks] (Paper 1, AO1)
(c) Explain why there are different attitudes to the role of women in society. [6 marks] (Paper 1, AO1 and AO2)
(d) 'Religious communities should give women exactly the same roles as men.' Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion. [12 marks] (Paper 1, AO1 and AO2)
Model answer
(a) 1. The Equal Pay Act 1970 (1) 2. The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (1) 3. The Equality Act 2010 (1). Laws on the vote in 1918 or 1928 would also be accepted.
(b) The pay gap: on average women are paid less per hour than men (1), partly because fewer women hold the best-paid jobs (1). Stereotypes: some people think certain jobs are only for men or only for women (1), which can put people off careers they would be good at (1).
(c) Attitudes differ for several reasons. Some people follow tradition, believing that men and women have always had different roles, so they think this should carry on. Others reply that tradition is not a good reason for unequal treatment. Religion also matters: some believers read their sacred writings as giving women a different role, while others read them as teaching equality, so believers in the same religion may disagree. Education matters too: people taught that girls and boys are equally able tend to support equality. (Level 2: several developed reasons with key terms.)
(d) Plan. Agree: many religions teach that every person has equal worth, so the same roles are fair; keeping women out of leadership is gender bias and limits their talents; UK law bans sex discrimination in most work and services, so some argue religious groups should meet the same standard, although the law allows some religious exceptions; humanists argue for full equality on grounds of reason and fairness. Disagree: some believers say their scripture or tradition gives men and women different roles, and that these are 'equal but different'; religious groups have the freedom to practise as they believe; changing sacred traditions may harm the community. Religion: add a teaching from your own religion, and show that believers within it hold different views, for example traditional and egalitarian readings of scripture. Possible conclusion: agree, because equal worth should mean equal opportunity, and a role that depends on sex alone is a form of bias, although religious groups should be free to reach this view in their own way. Or disagree, because religious freedom matters and 'equal but different' can show respect, if women freely accept the role.
Exam tip
In (c), if the question says 'different attitudes', write about at least two opposing views and give a reason for each. One-sided answers cannot reach the top level.