For years the world was patriarchal, where men held the main power, dictating and controlling society and institutions. It is only now that women are trying to take back this power, demonstrating their reason for being and their need in this world. Religion, especially along with many other factors, has played an important role in gender effects, especially in the roles assigned to both sexes. By justifying and promoting particular treatment of individuals, whether good or bad. To protect and empower some, while abandoning and neglecting others. They resist change, as well as the rejection of the unknown. This essay will illustrate how religion affects gender and gender roles. Specifically, the behavioral roles a person is learned into based on their gender, determined by prevailing cultural norms, or in this case, religious customs. Furthermore, it illustrates the result of this involvement, as demonstrated by many religious based films and readings. Like resistant, excluded or completely non-existent. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Women in most religions seem reduced to one thing, housewives, who have been taught to marry or prepare to marry. They are considered the weakest race and then must meet the needs of their superiors, the men. Although some women see no problem with this statement, others vehemently object. Others resist and circumvent traditions and customs, struggling to gain power and find essential individuality and purpose in their culture, religion, and society. This has been seen in films like Whale Rider and Bend it like Beckham, where women have had to fight ten times harder just to do the things they love, the things that men would respectively be praised for, like skills and leadership. Paikea, from the film Whale Rider, for example, was destined to become the chief of the Maori tribe, but was continually rejected as such due to the ancient custom that only men could attain chieftaincy. But despite her struggles learning her heritage and traditions, she was excluded because she was a girl. She rode the whale, proving not only to her grandfather but also to the community her leadership, leading and saving her people from penury. Marnina Gonick said: “Asking a girl to ride the whale – which is also a symbol of patriarchy – was my sneaky literary way of forcing it on the guy.” Paikea, was a representation of all women, proving their worth and superiority. She outperformed everyone while proving them wrong. She solidifies her destiny and inspires generations of women. Just like Paikea, Bend it's Jess, like Beckham, limited female identities and created new ones. A woman who is very good at football is prohibited from playing football because it conflicts with her duties to prove her feminine identity as a Sikh woman and prepare for marriage. But despite this, she finds a way to balance the two by learning traditional dishes while still pursuing her ultimate dream: becoming a professional soccer player. Illustrate to women that they can still maintain their traditions while having and achieving goals outside of their culture. She significantly proves that being a woman is not a weakness and that she can do anything and more than a man ever could.TO DO. The future is feminine, and the language of a powerful new femininity is beyond doubt. Women are also seen as aimless without men in religions such as Hinduism, where they are forced into marriage and then excluded as widows while men were infinite, limited to no woman or social class. . An apparent prejudice against women, who are subject to restrictive laws, while men are excluded. Seen in the motion picture, The Water, focusing on the lifestyle and treatment of widows in India and the Hindu religion. Who live under the laws of widows, illustrating both the proper and improper etiquette in which they must behave. Which Shohini Chaudhuri sums up perfectly by exposing "the deprivations of Hindu widowhood, focusing on the patriarchal custom of renunciation rather than the more widely known practice of sati, in which widows are sacrificed on their husbands' funeral pyres." . It illustrates the vulnerability of women, manipulated by men and fundamentally by their religion. Women like Kalyani, a beautiful widow forced into prostitution to pay the rent, and soon after Chuyia, an eight-year-old child bride who must then continue her duties after her death. Widows are subjected to inhumane acts of exploitation to survive in a society and religion that turns its back on them. But why are men excluded? Well, due to patriarchy, men are seen as valuable and limited, while women are seen as replaceable. This basically explains why they are subject to illegal sanctions for something they logically had no control over. Especially since women and men could very likely find another spouse when their former spouse dies. But ironically, only women are presumed to be tarnished and untouchable. However, as previously stated, not all women believe that their domestic methods are inferior, like Jess, her mother and sister, who love and aspire to marriage and cooking. Nor do they realize or understand that there is a problem until they experience it personally, which is what many of these films demonstrated and were primarily inspired by. The truth is that many people fail to realize how much gender roles affect them. Never take the time to think, or wonder why their religion can exclude them or force them to do things but not the opposite sex? These are questions that could undoubtedly be answered in a thousand different ways, including money, patriarchy, brainwashing, control, tradition, etc. But when can we put our foot down, say “enough” and decide to create a different path? Well, as seen in the movie Water, Whale Rider and Bend it like Beckham. Women like Paikea and Jess decided that being a girl would not stop them from fulfilling their destiny or realizing their dreams. While women like Shakuntala, a devoted widow, twice taught her religion and saved Chuyia from further abuse, after seeing the effects it had on Kalyani. All of these women realized and decided that the conditions they found themselves in due to their religious gender roles would no longer deprive them of their future success and decided to take action against it. Men are considered the breadwinners of the family and are usually the head of the household. Superior to everyone, they alone make decisions for their family and even their community. They are taught how to marry and start a family to pass on their name, heritage and heritage. Otherwise, they areseen as failures not only to themselves but also to their families and communities. This was stated in the film Whale Rider, where the first son of a Maori tribal chief, Porourangi, abandoned his family and tribe after losing his wife and son during childbirth. The kid we thought would be the next leader of the community. Later, refusing to have another child, more precisely a son to become the new leader of the tribe. He left, leaving his family and his community behind. By nature, men bear all the weight and pressure from family and communities to carry on the legacy, as well as the additional responsibilities that come with it, which is a large part of why they are at the top of the food chain in a patriarchal society. But even when they fail, are they usually blamed? I doubt it. No one would dare question a man's choices and decisions. Men are also the most cherished and admired, presumed to be the strongest, wisest and most fit for leadership, seen as the future of their nations and shouldering all the responsibilities that come with it. Undeniably saviors and leaders of a race, a bit like Gandhi, Kundun and Guru Nana. Men are mostly spiritual leaders, praised and mourned in people's homes and hearts. In Sikhism, Guru Nana is the god, leader and apex of the patriarchal structure. Displayed in the homes of his followers, as seen in the film, Bend It Like Beckham. For Buddhism, it is the Dali Lama, continually reincarnated as a receptive male, ruling over infinity in his name. But why are men almost always the spiritual leaders of religion? Is it patriarchy or fate, I'm not exactly sure. But not all leaders or men are considered superior, or even worthy, as we see in Kundun. Men must be strict, violent, assertive and masculine to truly achieve this superiority and respect. Otherwise, they are perceived as meek and foolish. However, gender roles are not always explicitly about tension between men and women, but rather tension between similar sexes. They particularly noted the film Kundun, a film about the early life of the 14th Lama Dali. There were tensions between masculine men in China and supposedly feminine men in Tibet. In this China, masculine men believed that the Buddhist religion originating from Tibet was the source of their weakness. And practically an easy target to capture. Tibet was a peaceful country ruled by the Dali Lama, a Buddhist who based his morals on compassion and peace. Firmly against violence and terrorism. China, a robust imperialist country, considered their methods inferior and foolish. They sought to wage war against them unless they agreed to return to their country. Kundun, a genital male, has shown many acts of compassion, such as continually buying sheep to save them from death, or separating fighting beetles, and many more. But more particularly his commitment to peace against war and violence. When Tibet was invaded and terrorized by the Chinese, he admittedly refused to resort to violent tactics in response, even if it meant losing control and power over Tibet. An act that was seen as a weakness and failure by most, but undoubtedly respected and admired by his supporters, for upholding his morals, no matter how much. An immaculate character trait, which most do not possess. Additionally, sexual orientation plays a role in gender roles. Ironically, expectations, 2002)