ON THE AFFIRMATIVE END: PATRIARCHY AND GENDER INEQUALITY

Patriarchy is a system upheld by powerful cultural norms and supported by

tradition, education and religion.

Patriarchy is not reinforced solely by men.

All of us, men and women, have been trained into patriarchy, and all of us
pass it on from generation to generation. Women greatly participated in
enforcing this. Can men be blamed for the when they are also victim of this
cultural mindset as soon as they were born? This system was inscribed into
the very structures of the liberal state and they were expected to carry on the
expected duties and responsibilities. Patriarchy is often misunderstood. Just
because they are considered as favored in the said situation doesn’t mean
that they are the oppressors.

Some of the most brutal forms of violence against girls (e.g. clitoridectomy;
foot binding) are done by women, including their mothers; not necessarily by
men. (Kashtan, 2017)

Is it really oppression or just women subordination?

The oppression claimed by the other party in terms of the rights deprived of
women is not absolute. Historically speaking, it can be said that voluntary
acceptance of subordinate status in exchange of protection and privilege
should be considered.

Subordination does not have the connotation of evil intent on the part of the
dominant; it allows for the possibility of collusion between him and the
subordinate. (Lerner, 1989)

Misleading Narrative: Men are the benefactors of this system

Women and children benefit the most from Patriarchy

“Only through traditional notions of monogamous family life are men
compelled to raise their offspring alongside a female partner. If patriarchy truly
is a system of belligerent misery, why are such high levels of love, affection,
understanding and mutual sexual satisfaction found within the marriages of
conservative Christians?”
(Sergeant, 2019)

Patriarchy is necessary to preserve the family

Family is the basic unit of society. Having the said power and authority,
it gives fathers a necessary role and encourages them to be involved, and
thereby counteracts cultural trends toward children being raised without
fathers.

Someone has to have the final say

In conflicting decisions in the household, there is a need for a leader to
have the final say in order to effectively resolve certain issues and prevailing
matters that the family is facing.

Men and women are wired distinctly

The male brain go some way towards explaining their historic
dominance within many fields of human achievement. Driven by
an inbuilt sexual competiveness and desire to ‘prove themselves’, men are
motivated to take risks more than women. Feminists refuse even to
acknowledge strikingly obvious physical differences.

Bibliography
Higgins, C. (2018). The age of patriarchy: how an unfashionable idea became
a rallying cry for feminism today. The Guardian.
Sociology – Cochise College Boundless. (2016, May 26). The Origins of
Patriarchy. Retrieved from Lumen:
https://www.boundless.com/users/493555/textbooks/sociology-cochise-
college/gender-stratification-and-inequality-11/women-as-a-minority-88/
the-origins-of-patriarchy-508-9618/
Kashtan, M. (2017, August 04). Why Patriarchy Is Not About Men. Retrieved
from Psychology Today:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/acquired-spontaneity/201708
/why-patriarchy-is-not-about-men
Lerner, G. (1989). The Creation of Patriarchy.
Sergeant, D. (2019, March 08). Patriarchy is good. Patriarchy works.
Retrieved from Spectator Australia:
https://www.spectator.com.au/2019/03/patriarchy-is-good-patriarchy-
works/