Question Author
So you argument in support of this distinction between whom muslim men can marry and who muslim females can marry is this?
"If a women marries a hindu she may be pressureised into becoming hindu, which is totally the opposite of islamic belief."
In other words, women are too weak and feeble to withstand the pressure? Why should women be any less resilient than men to pressure to convert?
You cannot defend faith based sexist teachings by claiming that the faith offers "equal but different" roles. Evangelical Christianity tries to offer the same defence also, which is equally wrong.
Both religions practice Patriarchal mysogyny - that males know best, and it is males that lay down the law.
And what does the Islamic teachings about women dressing modestly tell us? Firstly, it is women who have to take the burden - it is they who have to observe all the rules regarding what constitutes modest dress. And why? Because Islamic teaching has it that all males are uncontrollable beasts, slaves to their own lusts, unable to control themselves if they see a womans face, or ankle, or hairdo. Its mysogyny again.
Why should the issue of whether children can result from a sexual union be any business of religion? What do Islamic teachings have to say if a woman is sterile? Should the marriage be voided, the woman cast aside?