When faith intersects with gender: students’ voices and inclusive academic challenges around religions

In 2022, I worked with an Iranian student who was required to submit an interactive data visualisation about a topic that interested them, which involved working on religion, authoritarian rule, gender oppression, and lack of freedoms – the 2022 Iran protests. As of 5 November 2022, 304 people had been killed, they wrote, and they wanted to pay tribute to them. The protests began after Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman, died in police custody after being arrested for allegedly violating Iran’s hijab laws. Her death sparked nationwide protests, especially led by women and young people, demanding freedom and gender equality. The government responded with violent crackdowns, killing and arresting many. The movement became a significant act of resistance against Iran’s authoritarian regime and gender-based oppression. I loved their project and wanted to mention them because it shows that students are engaged with and proactively responding to systems of oppression regarding religion and gender discrimination when given the opportunity.

However, I realised how little I had considered religion in my teaching. I’m an atheist and of the idea that religions are political tools and as Kahlo’s (1994) reminds us “the reason these people had to invent or imagine heroes and gods is pure fear” (Zamora, 1990, p. 110) – maybe that is why I do not consider this aspect as much. Though my approach has shifted and widened, I sometimes still forget to embrace religious students by i.e. celebrating festivities outside our westernised traditions or engaging in discussions around faith in class. Unintentionally I take away the rights of some of my students, for example, having their boundaries crossed in the classroom context i.e., a muslim person being touched (not sexually) by peers or staff members of the opposite sex, respecting dietary restrictions and fasting, avoid scheduling deadlines on religious holidays (though this is outside my job role).

Ramadan’s reading (2012) amplified this feeling, as did discussions in our workshops about the Awarding Gap at UAL. According to Ramadan, an ECU report of 2015 on UK HE professorship positions by ethnicity and gender highlights the great disproportion of black and brown women: “white female comprised 19.4%; BME [Black and Minority Ethnic] male comprised 6.2% and BME women comprised only 1.4%”. Ramadan discusses the inequalities experienced by hijabed Muslim women in HE and offers insights into how some women use their hijab and faith as a form of resistance to racism, gender-discrimination and islamophobia. This intersecting injustice is reinforced in Rekis’s work (2022) and proposed within less positive experiences/lens. Interestingly, the retrieved religion’s data on the dashboard shows that although the majority of students do not believe in any religion (58.2%) and Christianity has the highest prevalence (12%), there is a 10% student population who prefer not to disclose their religion. Why is that? Could that be, similarly to how it happens with disabled people, (and I guess the trans/queer and non-binary communities) that religious people are scared of being discriminated against if they disclose their religion? These underrepresented communities and missing data raise essential issues that UAL as an institution should not overlook – why do students prefer not to disclose?

I aim to teach in the same spirit as bell hooks and believe engaged pedagogy empowers everyone in the classroom, not just students, through shared risk and honesty. I also want to bring more vulnerability and rebellious spirit to my class and enable my students to feel safe and brave, not only in speaking out but also in speaking up (hooks, 1994; Arao and Clemens, 2023).

References

Arao, B. and Clemens, K., 2023. From safe spaces to brave spaces: A new way to frame dialogue around diversity and social justice. In The art of effective facilitation (pp. 135-150). Routledge.

Arday, J., Branchu, C. and Boliver, V., 2022. What do we know about black and minority ethnic (BAME) participation in UK higher education?. Social Policy and Society21(1), pp.12-25.

hooks, b., 1994. Teaching to transgress. Routledge

Ramadan, I., 2022. When faith intersects with gender: The challenges and successes in the experiences of Muslim women academics. Gender and Education34(1), pp.33-48.

Rekis, J., 2023. Religious identity and epistemic injustice: an intersectional account. Hypatia38(4), pp.779-800.

Zamora, M. (1990). Frida Kahlo: The Brush of Anguish (M. S. Smith, Trans). Seattle: Marquand Books, Inc.

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4 Responses to When faith intersects with gender: students’ voices and inclusive academic challenges around religions

  1. Sara says:

    Hi Antonella!
    Love to see your reflections on how, sometimes, being an atheist influences how we teach. In that sense, I’m just like you, I’m an atheist, and I haven’t considered religions in my classrooms before. I’m not sure how to approach this in my practice, as you say, there are some things that we cannot change, since they are part of a larger university system, such as deadlines. It also makes me think about how many adaptations are needed, considering the numerous religions that exist, and how they sometimes contradict each other. So, how can we handle that in the sessions without excluding anyone, but also without making students confront each other?

    Anyway, as always, I have more questions than answers!

    • Hi Sara,

      Thank you so much for your thoughtful response — I really appreciate your honesty and the questions you raise. I completely relate to your position; as fellow atheists, it can be challenging to step outside our own frameworks and truly consider how religion (or the absence of it) shapes classroom experiences for others.

      You’re absolutely right: some things are beyond our direct control, especially systemic elements like institutional deadlines or university-wide policies. But I’m learning that even small, deliberate shifts in how we facilitate discussions, acknowledge different worldviews, and make space for religious identities can contribute meaningfully to an inclusive environment. For example, simply asking students early on if they have any religious observances that may impact their work, and then advocating on their behalf where possible, could make a difference.

      Your question about managing multiple (and sometimes conflicting) religious practices is a powerful one. I think it’s not necessarily about resolving contradictions between beliefs, but about cultivating a classroom culture that honours coexistence without forcing consensus. This might mean helping students practice respectful listening, making space for difference, and perhaps most importantly, encouraging curiosity without judgment. It’s a balancing act for sure, one that asks us, as educators, to embrace discomfort at times while modelling a spirit of openness.

      Like you, I also find myself sitting with more questions than answers – but maybe that’s the point. Creating space for these tensions, rather than trying to resolve them immediately, might actually be where inclusive learning begins.

      Thanks again for engaging. It’s always such a gift to dialogue with someone who’s also figuring this out with care and curiosity.

      Warmly,
      Antonella

  2. Hi Antonella,

    Thank you for such a thoughtful post. I really resonated with your experience; I’m also non-religious and realised how little I have thought about religion in my teaching.

    You raise such an interesting point about students opting out of disclosing religious beliefs and the potential reasons behind this. As you say, could this be an active decision – there is something powerful about being able to identify yourself in relation to your held beliefs, but labelling yourself as a religious person also opens you up to bias and potential discrimination. In Western and in UK Higher Education, institutions are typically presented as post-religious and I can imagine that it must be an intimidating environment to disclose religious beliefs as you are immediately identifying as ‘other’. You highlight in your answer to Sara’s comment how we as educators can contribute to inclusion of religious students by asking if there are any religious observances that they would like to share and that could impact their work; this exact act of asking, listening and then advocating on behalf of our students creates that inclusive environment where students feel confident and welcome to share themselves.

    You’ve given me a lot to think about, thanks so much!

    • Dear Rosaline,

      Thanks a lot for your thoughtful reflection; it really resonates. I agree, the act of disclosing one’s religion in an academic space that often assumes neutrality (but isn’t neutral at all) can feel like stepping into vulnerability. I appreciate how you framed it: that identifying can be both empowering and risky.

      I’m glad the idea of simply asking students about their observances landed with you – it feels like such a small gesture, but as you said, it can go a long way in creating a classroom culture where students feel seen.

      Thanks again for engaging so meaningfully. These conversations really help keep the work alive.

      Warmly,
      Antonella

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