A social system in which a father is the head of the family, property ownership and surname are traced through the male line, and men have legal or social authority over women and children. A family, community, or society based on this or a similar system, or governed by men to a degree far out of proportion to their numbers.
Jane Doe: Can you believe patriarchy still exists after all our valiant struggles?
John Doe: What do you mean? Patriarchy doesn't exist! Sure, women make on average a lot less than men for the same work, and sure, there are very few women in positions of power in government and business, but at least now we let you vote and own property!
Jane Doe: But why didn't you take my last name when we married? Why are women still raped (outside of prisons) so much more often than men, and why do men so often inflict rape on others? Why do we still have a sexual division of labor, with some entire industries dominated by men and other industries, typically lower paid, staffed almost entirely by women? Why is it, when someone says "doctor" everyone thinks "man" and when they say "nurse" everyone thinks "woman?" The same is true of "construction worker" vs. "secretary," "engineer" vs. "stripper," "soldier" vs. "maid"... you name it! Why is it a scandal when a middle aged woman like Demi Moore marries a man in his twenties, but it's routine for rich old men in their 60s and up to marry barely legal young 'trophy wives?' It's so common it has it's own term!
John Doe: I guess you're right. Come to think of it, I've been trained to take on all sorts of patriarchal roles that I don't like myself! I've been trained to act like an automaton, to hide my feelings, to be "the provider" in an economy where two parents working is the norm, to go off and die in wars... you know, Jane, a lot of my anti-feminist anger is really unjustified! I've just been resentful of my own role within patriarchy, in such a misdirected way I couldn't even see it existed. I've been defending what I felt were privileges, but in fact were limitations. It's time for us to smash all forms of sexism, patriarchy - hell, even matriarchy if it ever crops up anywhere - together!
Jane Doe: Now you're talking! Let me get my hammer!
John Doe: You know, dear, this means you'll have to face the draft, too...
Jane Doe: True, sweetie, but there should be a lot fewer wars with patriarchy out of the way!
John Doe: Actually, love, capitalism, not patriarchy, is the root of imperialism and resource conflicts, which are the primary cause of modern wars...
John Doe: What do you mean? Patriarchy doesn't exist! Sure, women make on average a lot less than men for the same work, and sure, there are very few women in positions of power in government and business, but at least now we let you vote and own property!
Jane Doe: But why didn't you take my last name when we married? Why are women still raped (outside of prisons) so much more often than men, and why do men so often inflict rape on others? Why do we still have a sexual division of labor, with some entire industries dominated by men and other industries, typically lower paid, staffed almost entirely by women? Why is it, when someone says "doctor" everyone thinks "man" and when they say "nurse" everyone thinks "woman?" The same is true of "construction worker" vs. "secretary," "engineer" vs. "stripper," "soldier" vs. "maid"... you name it! Why is it a scandal when a middle aged woman like Demi Moore marries a man in his twenties, but it's routine for rich old men in their 60s and up to marry barely legal young 'trophy wives?' It's so common it has it's own term!
John Doe: I guess you're right. Come to think of it, I've been trained to take on all sorts of patriarchal roles that I don't like myself! I've been trained to act like an automaton, to hide my feelings, to be "the provider" in an economy where two parents working is the norm, to go off and die in wars... you know, Jane, a lot of my anti-feminist anger is really unjustified! I've just been resentful of my own role within patriarchy, in such a misdirected way I couldn't even see it existed. I've been defending what I felt were privileges, but in fact were limitations. It's time for us to smash all forms of sexism, patriarchy - hell, even matriarchy if it ever crops up anywhere - together!
Jane Doe: Now you're talking! Let me get my hammer!
John Doe: You know, dear, this means you'll have to face the draft, too...
Jane Doe: True, sweetie, but there should be a lot fewer wars with patriarchy out of the way!
John Doe: Actually, love, capitalism, not patriarchy, is the root of imperialism and resource conflicts, which are the primary cause of modern wars...
by Buenaventura Durruti
May 28, 2004
A social organisation that grants power to men and oppresses women through political, social and economic institutions. Harmful side effects include the gender binary, unequal wages and Rush Limbaugh.
Person A: Did you know that women do two thirds of world labour and own less than one percent of world property?
Person B: Damn patriarchy.
Person B: Damn patriarchy.
by Hellonhairylegs
December 29, 2008
A society where
- men have a disproportionate share of political, economic, and social power;
- men control all systems of representation (religion, "media," literature, etc.) and use them to depict the world from their point of view and marginalize women;
- there are widely shared cultural beliefs that men are more socially valued and more competent than women at most things (e.g., Michael Conway et al., 1996; David Wagner and Joseph Berger, 1997; John Williams and Deborah Best, 1990; and Susan Fiske et al., 2002);
- women are the primary targets of gender violence and men are the primary perpetrators of gender violence;
etc.
- men have a disproportionate share of political, economic, and social power;
- men control all systems of representation (religion, "media," literature, etc.) and use them to depict the world from their point of view and marginalize women;
- there are widely shared cultural beliefs that men are more socially valued and more competent than women at most things (e.g., Michael Conway et al., 1996; David Wagner and Joseph Berger, 1997; John Williams and Deborah Best, 1990; and Susan Fiske et al., 2002);
- women are the primary targets of gender violence and men are the primary perpetrators of gender violence;
etc.
All societies are, and always have been, patriarchies.
Those who are uneducated, miseducated, or "masculinists" = "advocates of male superiority or dominance" (Merriam Webster Dictionary Online) should at least TRY to comprehend this simple truth about the great evil aka patriarchy.
Those who are uneducated, miseducated, or "masculinists" = "advocates of male superiority or dominance" (Merriam Webster Dictionary Online) should at least TRY to comprehend this simple truth about the great evil aka patriarchy.
by Jackie O2
November 19, 2010
A term coined by feminists, to blame men for all their problems.
Jane: "Why have we ran out of bread?"
Gill: "Because of the patriarchy."
Gill: "Because of the patriarchy."
by RailwayDemon
August 25, 2013
The deity of the 21st century liberal woman; it doesn't exist but they acknowledge its influence.
"The patriarchy is the reason why I can't wear a miniskirt without being slut shamed"
by SirMorrisChrist
March 09, 2014
A non-existent entity used as a scapegoat by women, when there is no other individual to blame other than themselves (as if they'll own up to that).
It's not my fault that I got rejected for this job because I'm underqualified, it's the patriarchy's.
by LogDecker
March 12, 2014
A social/governmental system in which males are superior and disproportionately in power and women are considered inferior. This is how the United states used to work until we let the damn women out of the kitchen and they fucked everything up. Now men are oppressed as much as or even more then women and whenever a man does something bad to a woman, everyone freaks the fuck out, but whenever a woman does something bad to a man, no one gives a flying fuck.
Feminazi: Fuck the patriarchy! Women deserve equal treatment!
Man: Shut the fuck up
Feminazi: You can't talk to me like that! I am a woman!
Man: *hits woman*
Everyone: How dare you do that to a woman!
Woman: *hits man*
Everyone: Yeah you go, girl! we don't know the context of this situation, but we will assume that you did something wrong to deserve this
Man: Shut the fuck up
Feminazi: You can't talk to me like that! I am a woman!
Man: *hits woman*
Everyone: How dare you do that to a woman!
Woman: *hits man*
Everyone: Yeah you go, girl! we don't know the context of this situation, but we will assume that you did something wrong to deserve this
by $uckmydick
December 05, 2013