Gendered religious organizations: The case of Theravada Buddhism in America

Abstract

This article examines how organizational context shapes the way gender is socially constructed in two non-Judeo-Christian religious organizations in the United States, one Theravada Buddhist organization founded by immigrants and one started by converts. People at the two organizations disagree with each other about what Theravada Buddhism teaches about women in teaching and leadership positions but agree that outside of these positions, women and men are equally able to gain access to and practice the tradition. Despite these understandings, women and men have distinct gender roles and responsibilities at each organization that are in tension with what the leaders and attendees understand the tradition to teach. The extent to which teachers and attendees recognize these tensions and the ways they respond to them are explored, and their implications for each organization and for studies of gender and religious organizations are discussed.