Gender Inequality and Patriarchy Essay

Power, control, or authority: In a patriarchal society such as the one found in Yemen a male is head of the household and is the primary breadwinner.

The origin of patriarchy is disputed, however I find it to show signs in the Paleolithic. Men were hunters and women were traditionally gatherers. It obviously appears stronger to kill a wooly mammoth than to pick strawberries, which is where I belive males being stronger and more dominant comes from. During the neolithic era, these ideals were further pushed by the introduction of agriculture. The men would do the “heavy lifting” by breaking hard soil and plowing the fields. The women would watch the kids, or plant

A patriarchal society is a term to refer to the autocratic rule by male members of a family or society. The term A system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it. Oxforddictionaris.com, (2015). patriarchy However in modern days it tends to refer to social systems or cultures where the power is held by an adult male

Patriarchy is a social system; males are the superior gender and have authority over females who are the subordinate gender. However within patriarchy there are hierarchies. This means that not only do men have a higher position then women but also over other men of which are usually younger. In a patriarchal family the men hold authority over women, children, and property. A woman who is attached to an upper-class man has a better life in a material sense than lower-class men and women, but she may be physically or emotionally abused. If she displeases her father or husband she can find herself relegated almost overnight to a life of poverty or

Our textbook also discusses the theory of Male Hegemony which describes the way in which men take power over women in society. It goes on to describe the way in which many males will feel insecure if placed subordinate to a women and thus constantly strive to regain power. With this is also explained that often times women who fall victim to this mentality often begin to believe it. When women do so they may even avoid success in their life as to not surpass the male dominance that has been established. (Kornblum, W. Julian, J., Smith, C. D.

Walby Sylvia in investigative and analyzing different theoretical approaches to patriarchy, she offers an outlook on theorizing patriarchy in a manner that represents two separate forms of patriarchy, which she labels “private patriarchy” and “public patriarchy,” that are evident in a number of societal structures. “Private patriarchy” is the subjugation of women by limiting them to unpaid household labor and keeping them from the communal sphere. On the other hand “public patriarchy” gives women access to both private and public spheres, but this entrance is seen as substandard compared with that of their male partners, and women are still jointly dominated by societal structure (Walby Sylvia. 1990).

‘Patriarchy’ is a social organisation in which the father or eldest male is head of a household or tribe, having supreme authority over his women and children. It is a system of government, where men hold the power, and women are largely excluded from it. A patriarchal civilisation promotes the dominance of men in social or cultural societies.

Where did this patriarchal society come from? According to Collins patriarchy is a system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it. This is synonymous to the oppression of women. We assume the lack of evidence which tells us that all societies have been patriarchal because it has been rooted in biology or in the environment. It is implausible to believe men actually came together from all over the world with the conclusion suppressing women was acceptable. Some believe if there had not been patriarchal societies we would all be completely destroyed. This was once a necessary mechanism used for survival that quickly died out due to women stepping out with confidence.

In a patriarchy, women are assured a subordinate social position. “Patriarchy requires that women are kept in their place by violence, or the fear of violence. The female is viewed as an object to men, and men can do as they wish with a woman” (Radford, 1992, p. 5).

Our culture has created a social system that allows the driving forces of patriarchy to flourish. Although many people may not be purposefully attempting to continue this system of patriarchy, we each play a role in its survival. For many the problem is not that they are promoting patriarchy but that they are not challenging the system. In Johnson’s article “Patriarchy”, he is not examining whether a patriarchal system exists in our culture but what factors are driving this system to continue. The articles analyzed demonstrate Johnson’s theory of patriarchy by exemplifying his three facets of the patriarchal system and by recognizing the notion of the path of least resistance.

As Mary Daly (1979, p. 39) suggested, “Patriarchy is itself the prevailing the religion pf the entire planet”. In other words, female subordination is rooted in “the patriarchal system” in which men is dominant over women. Besides, dominance feminists also pointed out that ‘traditional family’ and heterosexual marriage are deeply patriarchal in nature as it implies that women are living for men.

Women 's rights and economic progress are highly correlated. In today 's developed countries, by large, women hold the same legal rights as men. Two hundred years ago, in most parts of the world women were considered possessions of men and had no primary benefits of their own, thus living in Patriarchal societies. “Patriarchy is a social structure in which men are regarded as having a monopoly on power and women are expected to submit.”(Boundless, Par. 1) The sources of patriarchy are closely related to the concept of gender roles, or the faction of social standards that are deemed to be socially suitable for individuals of a particular sex. Patriarchalism, Social constructionism, and feminism are all philosophical theories which explore

The belief that women cannot do certain jobs or maintain roles as well as a man has sculpted society into a hierarchy that places the male figure at the top.

The definition of the word “patriarchy” as stated in the Oxford dictionary is the following: “A system of society or government in which the father or eldest male is head of the family and descent is reckoned through the male line; A system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it.” Throughout the novel Adichie highlights the negative effects that patriarchal control can have on others within the family mentioned in the novel. Patriarchal control can be seen throughout the entire novel, in situations regarding religion, gender roles and family roles.

When the male is at the center of the house and in the male dominated culture, it is called a patriarchal society. The definition patriarchy is “a system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it.” (citation). Within the definition of patriarchy, it is evident that women in a patriarchal society are oppressed. Women are often degraded and looked down as being physically incompetent and unable to withhold a job. While patriarchal societies are no