Christian fundamentalism and women's human rights

In this thesis, I investigate Christian fundamentalist doctrine and practice in America, as observed in the Southern Baptist Convention and the Roman Catholic Church, and its role in shaping social norms that hinder women's human rights, particularly the right to bodily integrity and inviolability. I examine religious fundamentalist lawmakers and their actions regarding laws affecting women's lives, mainly the Violence Against Women Act and the Hate Crime Prevention Act. Furthermore, I explore the relationship between religion on the one hand, and (1) the historical and philosophical context from which it derives its views, and (2) gender ideology and socialization, on the other. In conclusion, I show that Christian fundamentalist ideology (1) promotes gender roles that perpetuate the subordination of women, and (2) serves as a social mechanism that instills deeply rooted beliefs that impact on politics and the recognition and enforcement of laws, thereby making women unduly vulnerable to violations of their human rights.