Gender-based Restrictions in Tourism: An Example of the Phenomenon of Avaton in the Modern Socio-cultural Expanse

Abstract

The article deals with the problems of the impact of tourism, including pilgrimage, on the socio-cultural environment of modern society, changes and reformatting of the gender restrictions of religious content. Investigated the access restrictions based on gender to objects of tourist interest as an example of socio-religious phenomenon “avaton” monastic republic of Athos in Northern Greece. Avaton regarded as a characteristic example of the alignment and sustained physical boundaries of the gender division, which for centuries allows preserving the unique closed social system. The paper focuses on the very concept of gender segregation, signs of it in the archaic and modern religions and on the relationship between the sexual divisions of the principles of Orthodox monasticism. The authors considered conflict of values of modern Western society and conservative traditions of Eastern Christianity. Gender discrimination is contrasted with the need to preserve the unique social phenomenon as part of the socio-cultural heritage of humanity.