From a Housewife to a “Woman-Goddess”? Women Circles and a (Non)Transgression of the Gender Order

ONDRAŠINOVÁ, Michaela. From a Housewife to a “Woman-Goddess”? Women Circles and a (Non)Transgression of the Gender Order. In Consciously Illicit: Transgression in Western Esotericism, Brno, 6.-7. června 2018. 2018.

Basic information

• Original name: From a Housewife to a “Woman-Goddess”? Women Circles and a (Non)Transgression of the Gender Order
• Authors: ONDRAŠINOVÁ, Michaela.
• Edition: Consciously Illicit: Transgression in Western Esotericism, Brno, 6.-7. června 2018, 2018.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Presentations at conferences
• Field of Study: 60304 Religious studies
• Country of publisher: Czech Republic
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: URL
• Organization unit: Faculty of Arts
• Keywords in English: alternative spirituality; gender; transgression of gender order; women circles

Abstract

The presentation discussed a connection between certain currents of contemporary alternative spirituality (more specifically, women spirituality) and transgression of the social/gender boundaries. As a basis for my discussion, the ethnographic data from Czech women circles were used. In this field, it was possible to encounter the elements of the spiritual discourse such as looking for a “natural” or “awakened” femininity, a criticism of “patriarchal” society or concepts of a “woman-Goddess” and “divine femininity”. I showed that these concepts – although bearing a potential to lead to the disruptions in the established gender order – can be used in a way that rather contributes to a consolidation of this order. In this sense, my contribution can be related to the assertion made by Anna Fedele and Kim Knibbe (2013) that it is necessary to critically examine the claims of contemporary spiritualities about the emancipatory or liberating nature of their practices.