Annotated Bibliography on the Role of Feminism and Women in Buddhism

Introduction Women in religion are so often swept away by the more prominent achievements of the male members of their order. This does not mean that these women did not play a formative role in their religion, but their stories are often unrecorded or ignored and their contributions are devalued. It is easy to believe that this is isolated to one religion that we might feel particularly uncharitable towards, however my research has shown that this happens in almost all religions around the world.
Buddhism is complicated with regard to women, as some countries’ version of it holds women in higher esteem than others. The whole religion has been debating on whether or not women can legitimately participate in enlightenment since Buddhism was first founded. Some groups believe women can reach enlightenment, but others disagree, and some believe that women can be ordained as nuns while others do not share this idea. The tradition of open debate within the faith and philosophy can sometimes make it difficult to standardize any one belief or tradition, as well as the fact that Buddhism sprawls out over such a wide range of the world.
This issue of women in religion is significant because religion shapes our view of the world and how we treat our fellow humans, animals, and nature itself. No matter what religion you were born into or if you ever actually followed it, it plays a formative role on every single person that has ever lived. In certain parts of the world religious laws and customs trump the actual laws of government. This is why it is imperative to know in full truth how each religion treats women, and has treated them in the past. With the recent waves of human rights awareness and the feminist movement starting up again, this becomes even more crucial. Things will never change unless you understand why they happened in the first place. Equality stems from mutual understanding and respect.
I specifically focused on the Buddhist religion