Cecilia Dunn
Final Exam Essay
IASTU 103
June 9 2005
Patriarchy, Difference, & Social Change
For centuries around the world, a silent legacy has thrived on fear, control and
oppression. This legacy is known as patriarchy. An intricate and complex system of
power and control that has twisted its way into many societies and cultures from China to
America, thriving on silently passed down ideologies, notions, and stereotypes that have
placed the male gender as the dominant group. Beneath this seemingly simplistic
hierarchy of God controls man, man controls woman; there are far more unspoken and
hidden truths that are the real driving force behind this power and gendered social
dominance.
In Allen G. Johnson’s book The Gender Knot, Johnson writes about and defines
patriarchy and four key components of it, which contribute extensively to its continued
existence and sub-conscious acceptance by the overall population. These components are
Sexism, Misogyny, Homophobia, and Heterosexism. To begin, the definition of
patriarchy is far more complex than just referring to men in power oppressing women.
Patriarchy is defined as a society that is male-dominated, male-identified, and malecentered with the oppression of women as a key aspect (Johnson 5). While its roots go
far deeper, this definition is quite clear: Patriarchy is a society – a system – that involves
both men and women being placed in specific gender-defined boxes with each trait,
stereotype, and expected personality, tattooed into our minds from birth; men in the
“dominance” box and women in the “submissive” box with all the attached behaviors that
come with each role to be fulfilled without question.
The first component, sexism, defined as the discrimination or unfair treatment of
someone, in this case women, based on their gender. In a patriarchal society, sexism
promotes the continuation of male dominance because it reinforces the sub-conscious
illusory “differences” between men and women other than gender. Johnson speaks in his
book about men “not getting” sexism and ads “As men go about their everyday lives,
they don’t have to bother to think about how sexism affects women, just as whites don’t
have to concern themselves with the consequences of racism ...” (53). This blindness
towards sexism further extenuates the progression of its part in patriarchal views by
increasing the lack of awareness when this blindness is passed on to future generations; a
cycle that must be changed.
Misogyny, the second component, is defined simply as the hatred of women or
femaleness (38). Though simplistic in definition, the expressions of misogyny are
complex and can seem invisible as hatred at first. Johnson states misogyny is present
... in ancient and modern beliefs women are inherently evil and a primary cause of
human misery ... in the violent pornography that portrays women as willing
victims of exploitation and abuse, in jokes about everything from mothers-in-laws
to the slapping around or “good fuck” that some women “need” ... [and in the]
transformation of ancient wise-women healers into modern-day images of witches
who roast and eat children ... (38)
In addition to these expressions, the ways in which women are insulted and
degraded with verbal terms in a patriarchal society are not only applied when a woman is
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being slurred, but when men are attacked with terms like “son of a bitch,” it is still a
woman who is at the root of the insult.
The next component, homophobia, is defined as the fear or mistreatment of
homosexual people. Homophobia’s place in patriarchy has an interesting twist; not only
promoting the idea of behaving differently than programmed enforcing the “necessity”
for domination, it also regulates the fear that keeps other men fighting to be “real men,”
so they are above sexual abuse and further blinded to the reality of what women suffer
throughout their lives. Johnson quotes John Stoltenberg:
Imagine this country without homophobia: There would be a woman raped every
three minutes and a man raped every three minutes. Homophobia keeps that
statistic at a manageable level. The system is not fool-proof. It breaks down, for
instance, in prison and in childhood – when men and boys are often subject to the
same sexual terrorism that women live with almost all the time. But for the most
part homophobia serves male supremacy by keeping males who act like real men
safe from sexual assault (35).
This ideology provides an interesting insight into the idea of supremacy driving
the social order of certain crimes centered around gender and sexual orientation. The
overwhelming high percentage ratio of heterosexual man-to-woman rape to homosexual
man-to-man rape and the hate crimes against gays generally being committed by male
attackers shows blatantly the power and corruption that patriarchy creates in men’s
minds. This necessity for men to latch on to any power and control they can find, as well
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as shun or attack anything that prevents them from attaining and keeping their power
under patriarchy and a sense of “real manhood” further demonstrates the problems with a
patriarchal society.
Lastly, the fourth component of heterosexism, defined as discrimination against
gays and lesbians, also has an interesting twist and is tightly intertwined with
homophobia. Johnson states “[S]ince gays don’t use women in this way, - (treating
women as objects) - their sexual orientation challenges not so much heterosexuality per
se, but male solidarity around the key role of control and domination in patriarchal
heterosexuality.” In addition, John Stoltenberg states that heterosexism/sexuality also
protects men from being attacked by other men, tied tightly with homophobia, which
keeps the rate of men to men rape at a low percentage (35). These things tell me that
heterosexism and heterosexuality are key sub-conscious “necessities” to take part in
control and domination, as well as takes part in treating people, especially women as
“others” or objects. So when a gay man or any man goes against these necessities, it
threatens the strength of the patriarchal grip of male groups, with fear being a central
driving force derived from homophobia to keep men fighting for heterosexism, to keep
their heterosexuality, their solidarity and “manhood” at all costs.
After thinking about these specific components of patriarchy, so few of the many
that intermix to create its strong, unbroken web, I began to think of ways I could bring
about change, however small, to help deconstruct the web. As I read about and studied
patriarchy as a whole, I started to see the multifaceted components that went beyond
gender. As an indirect force, I saw how patriarchy promoted racism, segregation, and
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difference in addition to domination and the control of women and men, by men. After
realizing and understanding this additional element to patriarchy, I was further motivated
to bring about change however I could. Specific areas where I could bring changes are
through personal growth and sharing experiences with all generations, bringing change
into my work environment, and becoming a part of groups on my college campus.
It is well known, but rarely practiced, that to bring change to any part of our lives,
one has to change themselves before beginning to help influence others. Individual and
personal changes are quite possibly one of the most difficult things to do for most people,
because we have to go against what we have become accustomed to doing. To break
habits, routines, and allow ourselves to open our minds to the world may be easier for
some, but it is never a walk in the park. It is much easier to tell others how to change
themselves and tell them how, but without personal acceptance of what we are teaching
and producing, the lesson has lesser meaning.
One of the biggest things I know that I must grow and strive for is awareness. In
my first quarter of college, taking an Intra-American studies class, my mind was flooded
with awareness of racism, class, gender issues and patriarchy. However I have only
scratched the surface of what is really out there. To gain awareness I have begun paying
more attention to my surroundings at all times, especially in public. Many of the things I
have seen are racist, heterosexist, anti-government and overall crude; things that
shouldn’t be re-uttered. I find it highly interesting however, how hidden and covert many
of the expressions are. Men whistling at women passing by, soap-box speakers yelling
about the injustice of the Iraq war, and white people avoiding or shuffling away from
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people of differing racial backgrounds, especially African American men, to name a few.
After thinking back to times before this class, really trying to remember walking in
Seattle and other diverse areas before a lot of my awareness came about, I can remember
things that I never thought about before. Many of which were things that my blinders
filtered out and stopped me from seeing, because I could and didn’t want to deal with
what came with acknowledgment at the time in my life. By forcing myself to see and
change my interpretations of the world, I have begun to see the things that were never
within my view. Now that I have accepted them as truths and can see them, deal with
them, and help to change them, I see them almost automatically. My “blinders” towards
many of the problems and ill actions in this country as well as this society, are still very
thick. However by choosing to just open my eyes and accept that these things exist, I
have gotten over the first step in personal change; awareness and acceptance. An
important acknowledgment throughout this process is realizing that I cannot change the
world alone. Luckily, I don’t have too. To realize that this battle doesn’t have to be
fought alone is so important because trying to fight the one-woman-fight only leads to
defeat and disappointment.
A way to bring outward change into the world is by sharing my experiences and
knowledge with my family and the people I am closest too, because I know they will
listen. By sharing this knowledge & awareness as much as I can with others, they will
share it with those they know, spreading like a virus. I am a part of a large community of
homeschoolers that meet once a year in Oregon and have an online server where we can
all talk and catch up, as well as a website where we can create pages about subjects we
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want to inform others about. In this community, I can express my knowledge and
experiences, and spread the information over a large group of people who will in turn
spread the information. One of the pages created on the website was about Dairy Queen
being a racist corporation for selling a coffee drink called “MooLatte.” The writer stated
that she was going to sue the company for calling the drink this. The page creator argued
that the drink was racist because it sounded and looked very similar to the racial word
“Mulatto” – a person born to racially mixed (white and African) parents. When I read
this page, I was amazed that racism had been trivialized to this extent. I had to say
something, because if I didn’t, this silently accepted form of fighting against “racism”
would spread and further trivialize actual racism in the world. I posted:
Okay, People. We need to re-evaluate what this is about. Fakea, You have every right to your
opinion, and so does everyone else. Yes, we are a group of loving, supportive people, but that does
not mean that we will always conform to another’s opinions to make them happy. Racism is a very
large issue, I have done a lot of research and a lot of time has gone into it. Racism is big, but if
you take it to these smaller things, people have a tendency to think that it's a joke. Racism has to
be taken care of, but not things like this that cannot be proven as racism. It's hearsay. If they
specifically called their drink 'Mulatto' then I would be much more open to this as a racist issue. I
am really about activism to bring change and abolition of racism, but like I said before, if you take
it to this level, the bigger issues are overshadowed and racism becomes a joke and the beliefs that
it doesn't exist and people are just whining about insignificant things gets reinforced. I really think
that you can channel this activism into areas of racism that are actively being proven as a reality
and it will be a much more productive use of your time. I'm not going to tell you what to do
however, and if you want to try and sue dairy queen, Amen to you. I really wish you luck. Just
keep an open mind to what you're attacking, who you're attacking and WHY you are attacking it. -Ceci
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After posting this and showing the community that the reality of racism is much
larger than a drink that can’t even be proven as racist, the argument ceased and a new
discussion began on how our community could bring real awareness and fight against
actual racism to make a difference. This event was extremely empowering for the entire
group, and has continued to spread over the community, creating unimaginable potential
for our generation, and our future generation to fight against racism to produce change
and hopefully abolish racism before it gets to our grandchildren.
Another area where I can bring change with me is into my work environments. I
am currently not in the working world, however I know that I will be working as a labor
and deliver nurse as a career in three years. As I strive to achieve my nursing degree, I
will be learning to speak fluent Spanish, and hopefully Japanese or Russian. I know that
I will be working with a diverse community of families, from Mexican/Latino to
Japanese, so being accepting of racial, class, and societal differences and not letting it
affect how I treat any patient is an absolute must. While I know that I can be impartial
and accepting of others, my coworkers may not be. By bringing my knowledge,
acceptance, and abilities into the work environment, I believe that this alone could
change any coworkers mind-set’s towards patients. If my plans work out, I will most
likely be working at Stevens Hospital on the labor and delivery floor. This group of
nurses and staff are very tight-nit and like family. This type of environment would also
encourage change as I would be close to many of the fellow nurses and so my points of
view would be known and shared openly, also creating change, however small, in my coworkers minds. Even if they were accepting and able to work with the diverse patient
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population well already, they might discover prejudices and stereotypes they weren’t
aware of and be able to release them to better their work ethic and comfort levels even
more.
The next area I could bring change to is my college campus. While I am only one
student of thousands, I can still be a part of changing the way the college runs if there is a
place where change is necessary. While my situation as one student may seem
powerless, it is actually a very powerful position, because one voice can make all the
difference to making the collective voice loud enough to gain recognition. By joining
groups on my campus such as The Rainbow Club, I can be a voice of many, fighting to
promote change where it should be and having a group creates a sub-community, keeping
everyone together and sharing the work so no one burns out.
My immediate goals for promoting social change are to work on my personal
changes, always sharing my knowledge with those who will listen, and even with those
who won’t, and always speaking up when I see racist or negative things in my area.
My goal of personal change is reached everyday, just by seeing more around me
and accepting it, as well as using it to strengthen my commitment to change it. It is also a
goal that will never end. I will always be changing, learning and striving for a better
world and personal experience, so the goal is life long and always in front of me,
challenging me to push forward no matter what the obstacle. A couple of days ago, I saw
a group of mid-20’s African American men, just sitting at a table in Westlake center in
Seattle. As soon as I saw them, I automatically looked for a route to walk as far out of
the way of passing their table. I caught myself doing this and took a moment to realize
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that I didn’t need to walk out of the way, this wasn’t a dangerous area and those men
weren’t wielding guns, they were eating lunch. I walked past their table, even smiled as I
walked by when they smiled at me. This was a big step for me, and an experience that
was a stepping stone onto my goal. This goal, both immediate and long term is one of
my main focuses, because it is at the core of what I bring to the world. This goal is one
that will never be lost, because all of the additional goals that stem from it will keep it
going, just as it will keep them going.
Always sharing my knowledge is another immediate and life-long goal, much like
my personal growth goal. By sharing my knowledge each day with whomever I talk to,
whether about the weather, racism or sexual orientation, by sharing my opinions without
fear, I am changing the way that other person thinks about the subject in at least a small
way. When talking with a family friend, the subject of what it meant to be an American
came up in a car ride after my intra-american studies class. After stating my point of
view, my friend blatantly opposed it. When I asked her why, and to explain herself, she
had little to back her statements and beliefs up, but she didn’t admit she couldn’t answer.
When I asked her again, she still had no answer, but came up with a weak rebuttal
argument that was off topic and told me I would truly understand when I was older. Even
though she refused to see my side, and listen to what I had to say, I told her anyway, with
the hopes that she may rethink her beliefs the next time she had to voice it. To me,
sometimes all it takes to change the views or actions of another person is through
planting a seed, verbal or physical that shows them clearly what the reality is, and to
always be aware of their actions and what they will do to the people around them,
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because every action creates a reaction, good or bad. And that reaction makes all the
difference.
By speaking up against negative things around me as a goal, I am again planting a
seed. Showing whomever is committing a negative act that it isn’t acceptable, and they
should reconsider their actions before doing it again or ignoring it when it happens
around them. In my family, my dad makes a lot of racist jokes, sexist jokes, makes a lot
of rude comments, etc. To him, it makes no difference to the world, when he doesn’t
realize that by saying those things that he does make an impact, however silently, he is
showing that he believes it is okay to talk about people or groups negatively and say
things about them that are blatantly rude and unproductive towards change. He doesn’t
realize the way he reinforces stereotypes and furthers the continuation of societal
problems, even if they are meant to be funny jokes and comments and he thinks they
don’t mean anything. By verbally opposing his jokes and telling him that he shouldn’t
say things like that, I have hopes that he’ll listen and change one day. However, even if
he doesn’t, it is good practice for me when in public I will want to call other people on
their actions and trying to promote individual change outside my home everyday without
fear.
Overall, I believe that I can make a difference. Reading Allen G. Johnson’s book
alone creates change in the minds of those who read it, even if they don’t consciously
choose to make a difference in their lives, their lives and their views have been changed
to an extent, however small. Defining patriarchy and four of its main components was
also very empowering by itself, because it gave an even better sense of the system itself,
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instead of just the surface definitions and beliefs. By writing about how I can change
individually, bring my changes into the world through work and college and writing out
my goals was also an integral part to understanding patriarchy and its hold over society.
Together, all of these things combined to bring a new understanding, awareness, and
strength to reach out and fight back against this silent legacy that we are taught to believe
is right from the moment we are born. By changing ourselves, our surroundings, and
allowing ourselves to accept the truth, we can all work together to deconstruct the
patriarchal web and bring down the additional systems that it drives, such as racism,
sexism, misogyny, homophobia, and heterosexism, to create more equality and a better
society.
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Works Cited
Johnson, Allen G. The Gender Knot. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
1997.
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