Since the dawn of time, men have told the world that they are the superior sex. Not only portraying it through masculine propaganda, but by even reducing it down to animals, such as the lion being the King of the Jungle. By doing this, men show themselves to be the superior sex, therefore, women are inferior. Men have been sold off as strong, hardworking breadwinners and women must follow in suit to their commands and orders. In religion, books have been written and incorrectly translated, pushing women even further down the ladder, sold as a sex that has loose values and must respect men at all costs. Women, in religion, film, propaganda, commercials, articles, medical studies, etc. have been portrayed as weak, simple minded, hysterical and dependant. Not only must they force the idea of them being better than women down our throats, but they must also have ownership of us. When you are brought into this world, you take the last name of your father. When you decide to marry, you are brought by your father to your spouse, as an exchange of goods, where you will there swear obedience to him and take his name. Your social status also changes, as you go from Ms. to Mrs, whereas a man stays the same. On top of ownership, they have created ‘value’ out of our ‘virginity’ which is just a term made up by men. All these beliefs could not be further from the truth. Let’s get into it.
Wolves, for starters. There is actually no such thing as an alpha wolf(/male). Research has been corrected over the years and they have found that wolves practice a more matriarcal system, where two parents (male and female) lead the pack with their children. The parents hunt together, and before feeding, the parents decide who eats first. In some cases, you can see larger packs, but they are still of the same family. If one of the daughters gives birth to her children, she is still respectful to her own mother and her guidance. Therefore, the term ‘Alpha male’ is completely incorrect. The lion being ‘King of the Jungle’ is false for two reasons : they are not king, and they are not from the jungle. In a lions pride, the females hunt most of the time (except for overly large prey) and the male stays back to watch the children. His job is mainly to protect his family… from other male lions. So here we see again that the main risk towards females and children in this group, is once again the male species.
Lemurs, a primate, also practice the matriarcal system. The females even pass down the rights to rule to the next females in their line. As for conflict, females are also on the frontlines to handle the problems. Meerkats and Mole rats, are also animals that function in a society where the females rule. Ants and bees rule of course, at the stake of their queen, but the bee’s even take it to the next level, only using the male bee’s for reproduction, before they kick them out before winter, leaving them to die at their doorstep. Bonobos, known the be the most peaceful primates in the wild, residing in The Congo, run their community through the females. The list could go on, with elephants, killer whales, and hyenas to name a few. Women, or ‘Female animals’, are not normally submissive to the male sex. Not only that, but among so many species, the male sex must prove itself through intricate dances, colours, shows and gifts to even get a female’s attention. They must fight between themselves in the hopes of pleasing a female, therefore, the female race is superior, or at least more considered to males.
As for religion, religious books were written in a time where women’s place was much further down the ladder than it is today, therefore, the patriarchy is a common thing we can find in almost every book. Not only that, but over many years and versions and translations, the newer versions are no better in the regards of women, if not worse. I started going to church at the age of four. I partook in a group called The Missionettes, and we met every Wednesday evening. Just like the Girl Scouts, we were separated from the boys, wore cute little jumpers and sang songs, sold cookies and earned badges for our achievements. I loved going to church, and I loved going my entire childhood. I finished the Missionnettes, in a ceremony where I wore a white dress and my father walked me to the alter. I had to memorize the bible entirely and could recite any verse asked. I continued going to church where I was baptized, and continued Sunday school and Wednesday night service until I was 16. At that age I had a realisation. The book that was telling me that I was a daughter of the Lord, that I was loved, that I could do all things through Christ who guides me, was also telling me I was dirty (Leviticus 15:19-23). They told me I must submit (Ephesians 5:22-33). Now, I know the bible is outdated and I cannot take everything so seriously, but during a church camp at 16 years old, I watched our camp counsellors take spray paint to a white sheet. The white sheet was a representation of our soul and purity. Every time they mentioned kissing a boy, holding hands with a boy, touching a boy, sleeping with a boy, they would spray the paint over the sheet. By the end of their presentation and gasps, they asked us girls ‘Now what man of God would want to be with a woman like that?’. We were then sent off outside with a pen and paper, and told to write a letter to our future husband, promising to be pure for him. As I sat on a rock outside the wooden cabin, I wondered what the boys were learning about in their time alone… if they were having to make us that very same promise. I wrote an apology letter to my future husband, knowing I wouldn’t keep that promise. Even Greek Mythology isn’t saved from the patriarchy, with a new woman author that just retranslated the texts of The Odyssey from its original language. Turns out, the men who translated first… made a few mistakes… in the regards towards the women in the book. Only now in 2024 can we read the true version of the text, that we study in public school in America.
Women in America could not have a job until the mid-1800’s, and only due to an industrial boom that called for all hands on deck. Even then, only 10 percent of women worked by the year 1840. By 1850, that number went up to 15 percent. The work conditions were terrible, they were treated poorly and wage was much below the men. Women couldn’t even ride in trains at the start of their invention on the 19th century, as men believed their uterus’s would fly out of their bodies at that speed. It wasn’t until ONE HUNDRED YEARS LATER that women could open a bank account in their name, without a man supporting them. Domestic violence wasn’t even a crime until 1994, under the Violence Against Women Act. And now today, in America, some people believe that women shouldn’t even be allowed to leave a marriage if victim to domestic violence. It wasn’t even until the 1970’s when women were finally allowed to compete in marathons along side men. Women throughout history have also been excluded from certain jobs, not even for a question of strength or competence. In 2021, almost 14 women died per day in America at the hands of a man, their spouse, partner, lover, the person they knew and loved most. That is only speaking for The United States, but every country has women fall victim to death by their partners, almost daily. Some countries like Nepal or India still practice Bride Burning, or acid attacks, or even witch hunts. Some countries practice the mutilation of female genitalia to remove all pleasure from sex in their life. The list could go on concerning crimes that only attack women.
On top of the obvious abuse, violence, disregard and pay gap that women have suffered over generations, there are subtile forms of patriarchy in the system. Reducing women down to their position and statue as a wife and mother, creating propaganda to push women to believe that they must shave their body to be appealing, or only have long hair to be desired by men. The list could go on, but the patriarchy can be felt and seen through the Pink Tax, through the never ending catcalls and sense of insecurity in the streets, to the statistics of rape and violence towards women, to the views of women being hysterical, to just now finding out that their is arsenic in our hygenic products, etc. On top of that and unfortunately, the violence that men commit doesn’t even stop at just women, they are the main culprits of being sexual predators towards children, there have been cases of men raping primates, reptiles, or any animal they can get their hands on. Once again, the list of violence created by men that goes unpunished is remarkable. Today, women have almost as many rights as men, sometimes even being the main or sole breadwinner of their homes. Feminist groups have been speaking up about their rights and rage against men, for example the 4B movement in South Korea. These changes have seemed to create even more rage in the male community, who can be seen often referring to women as ‘female’ instead of ‘woman’. In doing this, they are degrading women down to animals.
I could speak on for pages, but I’m going to limit myself for future topics and get into what Modern Feminism is wanting.
Modern Feminism is calling for : Increasing gender equality, ending gender oppression, ending structural oppression, expanding human choice, ending sexual violence, promoting sexual freedom.The question is, how could one achieve gender equality if one of the sexes believes themselves to be superior to the other? Same question for oppression. Men do not want women to have the choice on what they do with their body because it is a way for men to once again control women. It starts with something as simple and innocent as your last name, and brings it all the way down to refusing your divorce request or abortion, no matter your age or reason for needing to abort. Sexual freedom, I find, is the easiest for men to swallow, as your choice to go into sex work is a choice of yours that they can then benefit from. Let us even break down Sex Work. Calling it Sex Work implies once again that it is a woman’s job to please a man. There, I do not see sexual freedom working ; though is when it comes to women deciding to no longer sleep with men where I fear a problem. Hence rape, forced sex, date rape drugs, violence towards lesbians, etc. In my personal opinion, Modern Feminism can not see the light of day unless the patriarchy is fully dismantled. I truly believe, that without the patriarchy, there would be less war, there would be minimal climate change, a more communal society could be brought into place with safety and security at the heart of it all. I believe recreational drug use would drop, violence and crimes against men and women would cease, and society as a whole could thrive and benefit. Now, matriarchy, which is a society run through the women and mothers, is NOT the opposite of the patriarchy. That being said, today’s society could benefit from some aspects of a matriarchal system, though I remain a Radical Feminist. The question today is how we can achieve in dismantling a system that has been in place for centuries and instate change for a good cause and future.
All my love.
Sources :
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/10-animal-societies-that-are-matriarchal.html
https://therapyforwomencenter.com/2023/04/20/virginity-is-a-social-construct/
The bible.
https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/a-translators-reckoning-with-the-women-of-the-odyssey
https://www.womansday.com/life/real-women/a55991/no-women-allowed
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