Gender and Protestantism in Northern Ireland

Author(s): Rosemary Sales
Document Type: Chapter
Year: 1997
Title of Publication: Who Are 'The People'?: Unionism, Protestantism and Loyalism in Northern Ireland
Publisher: Pluto Press
Place of Publication: London
ISBN: 0 7453 1213 6
Subject Area(s): Gender, Equality Issues, Religion, NI Conflict
Client Group(s) : Women, Men

Abbreviations: NI - Northern Ireland, PPRU - Policy Planning and Research Unit, EOC - Equal Opportunities Commission

Background to the Research

  • To date, there has been little research on gender and the religious divide in NI. In general, studies that attempt to make connections between religion and gender are primarily from women, who are viewed as radical and described as either Nationalists or Republicans. Protestant women's experience of 'the troubles' has remained largely unexplored. Discussions on ethnicity have given limited attention to gender, and where they are mentioned, women are on the whole seen as guardians of the family.
  • The aim of this chapter is to highlight the marginalisation of women in Politics and Employment in NI. Although there are similarities that straddle both communities, there are also stark differences. In recent years there has been a positive change towards gender equality. However, inequalities still persist.

Research Approach

  • Secondary source data has been used exclusively in the study. For example, data from PPRU and the EOC, reports from community/voluntary groups, and studies carried out by academics. This material is utilised to create a broad overview of the problem associated with gender and Protestantism in NI.

Main Findings

  • Social policy has been geared to the notion of a 'male breadwinner', however, this measure has been criticised as out of date and not relevant for tackling contemporary issues concerning gender in NI.
  • As a consequence of 'the troubles' in NI, women's rights have been marginalised. Protestant women in particular face anti-feminist views from many politicians and church leaders. However, there have been positive moves forward, for instance in the recent formation of the Women's Coalition.
  • According to an EOC (1993) report, women in full-time employment have increased their share of earnings from just under 70% of the male average in 1974 to just over 80% in 1991. However, there continues to be a 'ghettoisation' of women into part-time, low-paid, insecure jobs.
  • Insufficient childcare in NI has inhibited some women from entering the labour market.
  • Catholic men are still twice as likely to be unemployed as Protestant men. Similarly, Catholic women are less likely to be in employment than are Protestant women (PPRU, 1994).
  • Catholic women have been more visible than Protestant women in Northern Irish politics, for example as spokespeople for their communities and direct involvement in the 'armed struggle'. It has been argued that the apparent invisibility of Protestant women in pro-active politics can be attributed to the total or diminished role of women in Protestant political organisations that perpetuate a strongly male culture, and the bonding of rituals of Unionist Hegemony, like the Orange Order or the Masons.

 

 

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