Religion, Gender Equality, and Social Inclusion: A Qualitative Systematic Literature Review of Contemporary Ethical Debates in Mexico
Keywords:
Gender Justice, Anti-Gender Politics, Catholic Feminism, Social Inclusion, Reproductive JusticeAbstract
This review synthesized contemporary scholarship to identify how religion is framed in debates over gender equality and social inclusion in Mexico, and to clarify which ethical patterns recur across exclusionary, ambivalent, and inclusive positions. A qualitative systematic literature review guided by PRISMA 2020 was conducted on 44 documents published between 2005 and 2025, with emphasis on recent studies from 2019 onward. The corpus included peer-reviewed articles, chapters, institutional reports, and movement documents. The material was coded thematically using a three-stage interpretive process focused on normative claims, social inclusion mechanisms, and institutional conflict. Four themes dominated the corpus: anti-gender mobilization, reproductive justice, inclusive Catholic and feminist reinterpretation, and the tension between secular constitutionalism and religious influence. The literature shows that exclusionary religious discourse often relies on family protection, religious freedom, and moral panic, while inclusive religious actors frame gender equality through dignity, care, conscience, and social justice. Mexico appears as a highly contested secular public sphere in which religion remains influential but not monolithic. Religion in Mexico is neither simply an obstacle nor an automatic resource for gender equality. Its ethical significance depends on whether religious actors reinforce hierarchy or reinterpret tradition in ways that expand inclusion. The review offers a comparative framework for scholars and policymakers working on gender justice in religiously plural societies.
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