Defending the Woman's Rights

Chapter Seven : Differential Psychology

Woman psychology is very complex and vast, especially with regard to the different states of mind of man and woman. Assessment of identical and different aspects of woman and man is very crucial because though man and woman are both human beings, they have fundamental differences. Examining the woman's mind for finding her diverse aspects needs patient work of expert psychologists.

Some research has been done and books written in this regard. Muslim scholars should continue this line of research in accord with the Islamic teachings to prevent jurists and sociologists from going astray in defining the woman's position.

The first issue is the knowing of the undoubted differences and variations shown in the outer appearance of the two genders and proved in scientific studies :

"Biologists believe that man and woman have fundamental differences, which are more caused by nature than by environment. They believe that any cell in woman's body differs from its like cell in man's body. Before being borne and affected by the society, the cells develop into different beings; man and woman. Doctor Mahmud Behzad says that if social conditions make man and woman different, they only make the natural differences deeper." 1

"In spite of all the claims made by extremist supporters of equal rights of man and woman, man and woman have different biological and ideological functions and diverse states of mind. As a result, present psychologists have defined two distinct states of mind; female and male, just as biologists have divided the body into female and male." 2

Even the societies that have followed the equality principle of female and male in all areas of life could not ignore the natural distinctions between male and female that are so concrete in daily life.

"In countries like the United States of America where women can promote to higher social positions, usually boys and girls engage in all educational issues. Most teachers, though, accept the differences between schoolboys and schoolgirls, without having an exact definition of it. The teachers, who teach in both girls and boys' classes, or the investigators, who visit both classes, often speak of the conflict of the two categories and the necessity to conform them again. However, in rural coeducational classes, the distinction between the two genders is very evident... Physical and mental differences between most men and women and their different social roles have led to the idea of 'male and female samples', which is really an abstract, but useful notion. Moreover, everybody finds out to belong to one of these groups. This plays a crucial role in the social,

________________________

1 Dr. Hamzeh Ganji, Ravan Shenasi Tafavot have p. 190, sixth edition, Bi'that Publications, 1375. 2 Va Nemidanand Chera?, p. 88.