Religion's support for the domination of women--breaking the cycle

Throughout history, certain religious images and symbols often have been uncritically used to legitimate the dominance of men over women. This uncritical use has had lasting effects upon our culture, and these images and symbols often continue to be used as rationale for subordinating women today. Since the nursing profession has been, and continues to be, a predominantly female occupation, nurses are especially impacted by this inherited imagery. In their role as primary health care givers, nurse practitioners often care for women who have been victimized by a pattern of male domination that culturally is bound up in and perpetuated by certain religious imagery. This article describes and analyzes the power of religious sex-role imagery to maintain the public and professional order of female subordination to the male. Practical ideas are suggested for the nursing profession that will help to reconstruct this imagery along more equitable and humane lines. Through such efforts, nurses can justly achieve more reciprocity and equality for themselves, and can take active steps to prevent the victimization of many of the women they care for.