Patriarchy in America

Jennifer Barbee
EDUC 203.109
Make-Up Paper
3/19/14
Education for a Change Patriarchy can be roughly defined as a system of oppression in which males are the primary authorities in society. Historically, patriarchy has been the norm in almost every culture in the world. According to Philip Cohen, a professor at the University of Maryland and the writer of America Is Still a Patriarchy, every country expect Rwanda has a majority of male parliament, despite the handful of countries that have women heads of state. However, he points out that though some women may be heads of the state it is more important to observe the systemic characteristics of the country such as the family, economy, culture and political arenas to be able to fully recognize a country’s patriarchal practices. (Cohen, 1). These observances are crucial, because they provide a deeper insight into the principal effects of patriarchy and may lead researchers into a better understanding of how patriarchal conditions are changing. Many people, including Hannah Rosin from the article Male Decline is no Myth, strongly believes that the power shift is changing. According to Rosin, we have been so focused on the fact that America is patriarchal that we have been “downplaying some of the genuinely novel trends that are emerging” (Rossin 1). Though she cannot deny the facts: that men’s degrees potentially earn more than a women’s, that the majority of the wealth belongs in the hands of men, and even that American politicians are predominately male, Rossin still believes that society should be focused on the positive comparisons portraying that America has progressed from where it was just a few decades ago. However, the problem today is that so many women, are blind to the fact that our society is patriarchal! How can society progress and transcend into a culture of equality when the women who are oppressed do not even realize their oppressed condition exists? Reflecting on our class discussion, many students in the class did not even know the definition of feminism, nor were they able to identify that they had ever encountered unequal treatment. I believe this is because the younger generations are born into a society in which woman are able to work and they have seen the more subtle power shifts that have taken place. Also, younger generations are more egocentric in general, and may not observe the world from outside of their own experiences. This can be problematic because if patriarchal values are not recognized then change and empowerment are not possible. For women to be empowered, they must be educated. Education is the most powerful tool to dissolve any system of oppression. The people who are oppressed need to be awakened to their oppression, and then they must be educated on how they can change their condition. Rossin stated in her article that there is a phenomenal power shift occurring, and she believes that this is due to the fact that more young woman are earning degrees over that of young men resulting in better jobs (Rossin). Even though there is a correlation between degrees earned and higher paid jobs, I believe that educational institutions are teaching young women to understand themselves from a greater perspective, which is just as pivotal in the power shift as the money that is earned. Though politics and economic status are key elements in authoritative virtues, the fundamental acknowledgement of personal power and self-respect is where women can learn to access their potential. In order for patriarchal societies to cease, it is imperative to heal the relationships and power struggles between men and women. Overall, there also needs to be a change in the psychological perspectives of both men and women towards a woman’s role in society. Woman need to accept and own their strength; but, on the other end, men need to learn to respect and honor women as equals. Because there is a global perspective of men being more dominant and stronger than women, gender based violence and sex trafficking are possible. If more men rejected these establishments by not buying into the sex market, and by not seeing women as the weaker sex, than the greater perspective of equality might prevail. However, it is going to take the efforts of both women and men to make this possible. Additionally, from an economic stance, there needs to be a balance in wealth. Thankfully, there are companies such as Opportunity International whose work is beginning to balance the economic scale in third world countries. Opportunity International provides loans, 93% of the time to woman, to support their efforts in becoming self-sufficient and successful. Vicki Escarra, writer of the article Empowering the Bigger Half, states that, “If you want to see change you need to start providing woman with economic opportunities” (Escarra, 1). By empowering woman to find their place in the working world, everyone benefits from it. Opportunity International believes that when woman engage in the economy, it only makes the overall economy stronger; and as progress and change occur, the cycle of poverty for both women and men around the world can be broken. (Escarra, 1) Though companies like Opportunity International are moving society in the right direction it is not enough to make a complete global impact. Society’s ideals of male versus female roles need to change. Countries such as the United States and China, who have the greatest economic and authoritative impacts in the world, need to be role models in the shifting perspective. Women need to be seen and treated as equals; and women, just as much as men, need to become educated and awakened to the effects of the unjust patriarchal conditions placed on society.

Bibliography

Cohen, P. (2012). America is Still a Patriarchy. The Atlantic.
Escarra, V. (2012, October 04). Empowering the Bigger Half. Retrieved from Huffington Post, Impact: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vicki-escarra/international-womens-rights_b_1940546.html
Rossin, H. (2012, October 2). SLATE. Retrieved from Male Decline is No Myth: http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2012/10/male_decline_is_no_myth_why_ that_new_york_times_op_ed_has_it_wrong_.2.html

Bibliography: Cohen, P. (2012). America is Still a Patriarchy. The Atlantic. Escarra, V. (2012, October 04). Empowering the Bigger Half. Retrieved from Huffington Post, Impact: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vicki-escarra/international-womens-rights_b_1940546.html Rossin, H. (2012, October 2). SLATE. Retrieved from Male Decline is No Myth: http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2012/10/male_decline_is_no_myth_why_ that_new_york_times_op_ed_has_it_wrong_.2.html