Patriarchy has everything to do with men, but at the same time, nothing at all. In a male-centered society where maleness is associated with power, what’s really being centered is power itself. What’s suppressed is mutual relationality. Patriarchy is intertwined with colonialism, racism, and other oppressive social structures based on hierarchy. It is a fundamental fracturing of our human wholeness.
I wish more men could read and understand points of views like this.
As a man myself, I fully agree. It’s also exhausting as an empathetic man to deal with this pervasive pseudo masculine enculturation.
Agreed. I saved this article. I’m going to try to find a place to put this in an online course for grade 12 students. This was my quick Sunday of the big takeaways I write for myself to remember when I try to put this into a course:
She frames the fear of male violence around masking emotions leading to anger, and desiring closeness but only knowing how to pursue closeness through using the power of masculinity in the patriarchy.