GENDER AND SEXUALITY

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CORE CONCEPTS IN  GSST PATRIARCHY

Patriarchy •A system in which men hold power and are the  central figures in the family, community,  government, and larger society. 

•…”A system of social structures and practices in  which men dominate, oppress and exploit  women” (Walby 1990).

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Important related concepts oPower: the capacity to influence the behavior of  other people and/or the course of events  oIn patriarchy, power=power over 

oResources: A source of support or aid that can be  drawn on as needed

Important related concepts

See Johnson #2, page 23, in our text

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Features of patriarchal societies (Johnson, The  Gender Knot)

◦Male dominance: positions of authority are generally  reserved for men

◦Male centeredness: focus is primarily on men and what  they do

◦Obsession with control (esp. male control): controlling  women and anyone who might threaten male privilege

◦Male identification: core ideas about what is considered  good/desirable/preferable is associated with how we think  about men and masculinity 

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Susan B. Anthony #17 Male dominance: Judge and complainants men; all  positions of formal power are held by men; as Anthony  notes, all men are her political sovereign

Male centeredness: The law is, in Anthony’s words, “all  made by men, interpreted by men, administered by men,  in favor of men…” (126). 

Obsession with control: The law (among other  institutions) is used to silence women, such as by denying  a woman a right to vote 

Male identification: Concept of citizenship assumes a  man citizen; women are excluded from citizenship

We ALL participate in patriarchy oThe terms of women’s participation in patriarchy  differ from men’s, but women also participate

oPerforming our assigned roles oInternalized sexism 

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Patriarchy Is…  “”…a way of seeing and understanding the world through male eyes.” – Lori Heise, USA

 “…a system privileging the male in terms of resources, decision making power, and opportunities.” – Srilatha Batliwala, India

 “…inextricable from racism and imperialism.” – Azola Goqwana, South Africa

 “…not about women and men but about masculinities and femininities.” – JoJo Guan, Philippines

 “…in your bedroom, telling you how to have sex and with whom, what you must wear and look like, what you must and must not eat.” – Maggie Mapondera, Zimbabwe

 “…the force that, in the name of culture, has an elderly woman ask a young man for permission.” – Thoko Phiri, Malawi

 “…so insidious that we uphold it ourselves as women, as patriarchy’s footsoldiers and gatekeepers.” – Hope Chigudu, Zimbabwe

 “…always shifting, playing out in new ways.” – Shereen Essof, South Africa

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Features of patriarchal societies ◦Androcentrism: the privileging of masculine or male‐ associated traits over feminine or female‐associated  traits

◦Misogyny: hatred of women that maintains  patriarchy

◦Sexism: prejudicial and stereotypical attitudes  against women and discriminatory acts against them  based on those attitudes

The System & Us

•We are of patriarchy and it is of us

•Patriarchy is not static—it can change and we  can change it

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Walby’s Six Structures of Patriarchy

1.Paid work

2.Household production

3.Culture

4.Sexuality

5.Violence

6.The state Wa lb y,  S y lv ia .  1 9 9 0 .  T h e o ri zi n g  P a tr ia rc h y.  

O xf o rd :  B la ck w e ll . 

Why is Patriarchy Important to GSST? It’s a key organizing concept It provides an important and  accurate way of theorizing about  the underlying cause of gender  inequality

It serves as a target for social  change

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“If Men  Could  Menstruate,”  (Steinem  #62)