Why are there less female atheists?

[paulpablo]

I don't know. I'm not sure I've noticed a disparity. If it exists, I couldn't begin to tell you why.

I have over this side of the pond.
I think it may be because women  like to think of themselves as spiritual and men like to think of themselves as good at pool.

I gave this post kudos just because I found it funny.  But in reality, I'm sure for every woman saying she feels spiritual because a buttefly waved at her when someone close to her was injured in a car accident....there's a Russel Brand type man who eats spicy chicken and feels a spiritual awakening.

And another thing I think is probably equal on both sides, stupid religious tattoos.  Pretty sure the bible bans tattoos.  But plenty of people get Jesus on the cross on their forearm.

As a casual observation I've noticed that women tend to be cult members more often.  In general women tend to be more fanatical about celebrity figures/famous people, well known leader type people, and more easily led by them.

I think that's why the majority of men get into the cult leader gig in the first place.

In my day to day existence I haven't really noticed a difference in men and women and atheism. I've noticed an obvious difference in nationality and atheism/ religiousness. But not gender.

[Mister Agenda]

I think you could make a case that the more oppressed and disadvantaged a person is, the more likely they are to be religious. There's certainly a correlation between poverty and religion, and a similar dynamic may be in play, not necessarily causation but similarities in having to work harder to get to the same place.

Having access to information and education to inform your doubt of what you've been taught to believe isn't equal (but it's getting there). Being able to declare one's atheism openly is not something everyone is equally well-positioned to do, it costs some people more than it costs others. I think these disparities are reflected in atheist demographics.

[Zeff]

Interesting question. It isn't only atheists on forums. There seem to be more men involved in humanist, skeptic and even secular societies in the UK. More women than men seem to be religious in the UK...
"....the average age of parishioners is steadily rising (apparently it’s now 61 within the Church of England)..."
And
"...A recent report by the charity Tearfund revealed that UK churches are made up of 65 per cent women..."
source:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-...hurch.html

According to a number of surveys of the Church of England women are more supportive of religion than men. The most convincing reason I read was that women seem to be more involved socially (as someone mentioned on page 1 of this thread). They tend to be the Sunday School teachers and networkers. In my experience, more women than men seem to be superstitious, not just religious, but that is anecdotal and may be misperception on my part.

As for Stockholm Syndrome, I believe the answer lies in the word 'syndrome'. It is a widely accepted phenomenon though it cannot be scientifically explained, not to the satisfaction of psychologists in general anyway. It isn't like terrorism in that one person's SS sufferer isn't another person's supporter of extremism.
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/a...ekey=24038
"Stockholm syndrome: An extraordinary phenomenon in which a hostage begins to identify with and grow sympathetic to their captor..."

[Angrboda]

We're supposed to be the more social of the two sexes. Since religion largely relates to relationships, with God and with others, perhaps that is the trait which biases women in favor of greater participation in religion.

[popeyespappy]

Too busy in the kitchen makin sammiches?

[Cyberman]

We're supposed to be the more social of the two sexes.

That largely depends on the hotness or otherwise of the prospective suitor, and the number of zeroes in his/her bank account.

[ignoramus]

We're supposed to be the more social of the two sexes.  Since religion largely relates to relationships, with God and with others, perhaps that is the trait which biases women in favor of greater participation in religion.

Also there is no arguing or confrontations!
Which is an irony in itself, since they have already devoted their lives to this being.

[Whateverist]

We're supposed to be the more social of the two sexes.  Since religion largely relates to relationships, with God and with others, perhaps that is the trait which biases women in favor of greater participation in religion.

Also there is no arguing or confrontations!
Which is an irony in itself, since they have already devoted their lives to this being.

That was my first thought too.  Women's conversational style is supposedly collaborative.  So failing to keep faith would seem to be a greater confront for a woman.  So I agree with both of you. Of course these kinds of generalizations never apply universally.

[Macoleco]

The answer is quite simple fellow atheist.

Men are, by nature, superior to women, and designed to overcome themselves and the rules of society. Women, on the other hand, simply follow the herd.

[Mermaid]

Where did you find this data?

---

The answer is quite simple fellow atheist.

Men are, by nature, superior to women, and designed to overcome themselves and the rules of society. Women, on the other hand, simply follow the herd.

Absolutely true.