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The Amish faith is a fundamentalist Christian religion that is primarily practised in North America with large settlements in the United States, particularly in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. Because the traditional beliefs of this religion can conflict with the ideals of mainstream culture, the role of Women in Amish society is visibly different from that of women in the surrounding communities.
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Education and women's work
While it is true that Amish women are still expected to do the traditional maternal duties, like child-rearing, it is not unheard of for the modern Amish women to work independently in some way as well. It is not uncommon for Amish women to run their own businesses or go further in their education as girls than their male peers might.
Clothing
Amish women are expected to wear long cotton dresses made out of plain fabric, it’s not uncommon for a group of Amish women to buy large bulk of a certain color of fabric and make themselves identical dresses to wear. Typically the fabric isn’t patterned and cooler colors like lavender and blue are preferred. Women are also expected to wear bonnets which are meant to express the woman’s submission to both men and to God; while adult women in traditional Amish society are expected to wear bonnets that cover their head fully with the strings of the bonnet neatly tied, it is not necessarily expected for young teenage girls whose bonnets may more closely resemble the less modest coverings that Mennonite women use rather than a traditional Amish woman’s.
Romance and marriage
All romantic relationships are expected to have marriage as the end result. When it comes to the selection of a marital partner, arranged marriages by the parents are typically not done. It is, however, considered to be completely unacceptable to marry outside the faith. When talking about other aspects of romance, like romantic novels, the Amish typically aren’t actively involved in them. While there is a subgenre of romance novels featuring Amish women, colloquially known as “bonnet rippers,” is based around Amish culture, it is typically written by and for the consumption of those who are not in the Amish faith.