Male dominance is often encouraged in many religions as it has been seen as the natural order since the beginning of time. This belief stems from the fact that men are physically stronger than women, which gives them an advantage when it comes to competition for resources such as food, water, and land. Men are also expected to provide for their families financially while women take care of domestic chores. As a result, there is pressure on women to be submissive and obedient towards their husbands or partners. This subordination extends into bedroom affairs wherein men are allowed to have multiple wives and mistresses without any repercussions, while female infidelity is punishable under Sharia law. Moreover, marriage is considered a contract between man and woman rather than a mutual agreement between equals. In some cultures, a man can divorce his wife simply by stating "I divorce you" three times. There is no reciprocal right given to women regarding divorce because they do not own anything but themselves.
Male dominance is reflected in religious texts like the Quran and Hadiths, which state that men should be dominant over their wives and children.
A husband can beat his disobedient wife with a stick if she breaks her promise (4:34), and he has more rights over her than she does over him (2:228). Women are inferior in terms of intellect, knowledge, and wisdom compared to men (16:59-70, 4:34) and must obey their husbands unquestioningly (4:34). These teachings encourage patriarchal norms of gender roles in society, resulting in unequal power dynamics between couples.
Men are encouraged to repress their emotions and sexual desires until marriage, leading to frustration and rage towards women. As such, many Muslim societies struggle with high rates of domestic violence against women due to this ingrained notion of male superiority.
The religious sanctioning of male dominance leads to a lack of consent, relational imbalance, and miscommunication between partners since men have been conditioned to believe that they are entitled to sex at any time without regard for their partner's feelings or preferences. This can result in coercive relationships wherein one partner feels pressured into giving in despite their reservations. It also creates an environment of fear and mistrust wherein women feel powerless to negotiate for what they want from their partner. To overcome these issues, we need to challenge traditional notions of masculinity and femininity by promoting equal partnership between men and women.
How does religiously sanctioned male sexual dominance impact consent, relational power, and sexual communication between partners?
Religiously sanctioned male sexual dominance can affect consent, relational power, and sexual communication between partners in various ways. In some cultures and communities, women are expected to submit to men's authority and not assert their autonomy when it comes to sexual matters. This can lead to unequal relationships where women feel pressured into having sex against their will or withholding consent out of fear of retaliation from their partner.