Understanding Patriarchy: A Historical Perspective on Gender
School
The University of Hong Kong**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
FINE 3025
Subject
Sociology
Date
Dec 12, 2024
Pages
28
Uploaded by KidFrog1782
GCAP3117 DATA STORYTELLING FOR GENDER EQUALITY
Childless cat lady•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBTz3n9ZzPA
Patriarchy/父權制•Patriarchy is a social system in which males hold primary power, predominating in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege, and control of property. In the domain of the family, fathers or father-figures hold authority over women and children. It implies the institutions of male rule and privilege and is dependent on female subordination.
Historical contextAncient Societies•Mesopotamia and Egypt: Early legal codes often favored men in property rights and social status.•Greece and Rome: Women were excluded from political life and heavily restricted in public roles.Medieval Period•Feudal Systems: Patriarchal structures were reinforced by religious and social norms that prioritized male leadership.•Church Influence: The Church often upheld patriarchal values, promoting male authority in both spiritual and domestic spheres.Renaissance and Enlightenment•Cultural Shifts: While some progress was made in education and intellectual pursuits for women, patriarchal norms remained dominant.•Philosophical Justifications: Thinkers like Rousseau articulated ideas that reinforced traditional gender roles.
Historical contextIndustrial Revolution•Economic Changes: Men dominated the workforce, while women were largely confined to domestic roles.•Legal Restrictions: In many societies, women had limited legal rights, such as the inability to own property independently.19th and Early 20th Century•Women's Suffrage: Movements began challenging patriarchal norms, advocating for voting rights and legal equality.•Social Reform: Efforts to improve education and work opportunities for women gained momentum.Mid to Late 20th Century•Feminist Movements: Second-wave feminism highlighted reproductive rights, workplace equality, and domestic violence.•Legal Advances: Laws began to change, granting women more rights in areas like employment and education.
A "貞節牌坊" (zhēn jié pái fāng) is a traditional Chinese archway or monument that honors women who were praised for their chastity and loyalty, often after their husbands had passed away. These structures reinforced patriarchal values by promoting the idea that a woman's virtue was tied to her chastity and fidelity, even to the point of remaining unmarried after her husband's death. This reflects the historical emphasis on gender roles and expectations within a patriarchal society.
•"裹小腳" (guǒ xiǎo jiǎo), or foot binding, was a historical practice in China where young girls' feet were tightly bound to prevent growth. This was done to achieve a smaller foot size, considered a beauty standard and a symbol of femininity and status. The practice reinforced patriarchal values by limiting women's mobility and independence, making it difficult for them to engage in activities outside the home. It was a reflection of the control over women's bodies and roles in society.
Confucianism has influenced patriarchal structures, particularly in East Asian cultures, through several key principles:1. Filial Piety "孝顺" (xiào shùn): Emphasizes respect for one's parents and ancestors, often prioritizing male leadership within the family.2. Hierarchical Relationships: Outlines societal roles with men typically in dominant positions, such as the "Three Obediences" for women: obeying fathers, husbands, and sons.3. Gender Roles: Encourages distinct roles for men and women, with men associated with public life and women with domestic duties.These teachings reinforced male authority and contributed to the development and maintenance of patriarchal systems.
Patriarchy in modern societieshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wAajf3k0Vo
Patriarchy is upheld by a variety of societal structures and institutions, including:•Family:In many cultures, the family structure is patriarchal with the father or eldest male as the head of the household who makes major decisions.•Religion:Many religions promote male leadership in religious activities, decision-making, and spiritual roles, perpetuating the idea of male superiority or authority.•Education:Historically, access to education has favored males. Even today, certain fields of study are male-dominated, and educational materials often lack representation of significant female figures and achievements.•Legal System: In some countries, laws and legal practices favor men, for instance in property rights, inheritance, divorce, and child custody.•Politics:Men dominate political offices and leadership roles globally, setting policies that may uphold patriarchal values.•Economy:Many workplaces and industries are male-dominant, particularly at the leadership level. Wage gaps between men and women also contribute to upholding patriarchal systems.•Media: Media often reinforces gender stereotypes, portraying men in positions of power and women in subordinate or stereotypical roles.•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0Sd4x3hClo
Read Gloria's full monologue fromBarbie(2023):•It is literally impossible to be a woman. You are so beautiful, and so smart, and it kills me that you don't think you're good enough. Like, we have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we're always doing it wrong.•You have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can never say you want to be thin. You have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to be thin. You have to have money, but you can't ask for money because that's crass. You have to be a boss, but you can't be mean. You have to lead, but you can't squash other people's ideas. You're supposed to love being a mother, but don't talk about your kids all the damn time. You have to be a career woman but also always be looking out for other people.•You have to answer for men's bad behavior, which is insane, but if you point that out, you're accused of complaining. You're supposed to stay pretty for men, but not so pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women because you're supposed to be a part of the sisterhood.•But always stand out and always be grateful. But never forget that the system is rigged. So find a way to acknowledge that but also always be grateful.•You have to never get old, never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never show fear, never get out of line. It's too hard! It's too contradictory and nobody gives you a medal or says thank you! And it turns out in fact that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also everything is your fault.•I'm just so tired of watching myself and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us. And if all of that is also true for a doll just representing women, then I don't even know.•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBqlDWHkdHk
Effects of Patriarchy on MenToxic Masculinity: Harmful stereotypes affecting men’s behavior and health.•Emotional Suppression: Men are often discouraged from expressing emotions like sadness or vulnerability, leading to mental health issues.•Aggression and Dominance: Encouraging men to be aggressive or dominant to prove their masculinity.•Risk-Taking Behavior: Promoting dangerous behaviors to demonstrate courage or toughness.•Homophobia and Misogyny: Disdain for anything perceived as feminine or for non-heteronormative identities.•Workplace Dynamics: Belittling or undervaluing contributions from women or men who don't conform to traditional masculine roles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mCVS20gj_8Leftover women in China
The term "diaosi" (屌丝) in China, which refers to young men who feel unsuccessful or marginalized, is related to patriarchal expectations. In a patriarchal society, men often face pressure to achieve financial success, social status, and traditional masculine roles. When they don't meet these standards, they may be labeled as "losers," reflecting societal pressure and rigid gender norms.
Discussion:•How can I educate myself and others about gender equality and the negative impacts of patriarchal systems?
Challenging patriarchal systems requires conscious effort and active participation. Here are some strategies individuals can employ in their everyday lives:•1. Education and Awareness:Understand the concept of patriarchy and its manifestations in society. Educate yourself and others about gender equality and the negative impacts of patriarchal systems.•2. Question Stereotypes: Challenge and reject stereotypical gender roles in your personal and professional life , and e ncourage others to do the same.•3. Promote Equal Participation: Encourage and support the participation of women and non-binary people in decision-making processes at home, work, and community.•4. Support Women's Rights: Advocate for equal rights for women in all aspects of life, including education, employment, healthcare, and politics.•5. Practice Intersectionality: Understand that individuals can face multiple, intersecting forms of discrimination. Advocate for all women, including those who are marginalized due to race, class, sexuality, disability, and more.•6. Model Respectful Behavior: Treat everyone respectfully and with dignity and reject behaviors that demean or objectify women.•7. Support Policies that Promote Equality: Your vote and support for policies and politicians that strive for gender equality can significantly impact social change. Use your political power to promote equality.•8. Encourage Men to Participate: Encourage men to challenge patriarchal norms and advocate for gender equality actively.
Numbers and data can be powerful tools in highlighting the realities of gender inequality and reinforcing the need for change. Here's how you can use numbers to tell the story about gender equality:•Wage Gap: Use statistics on the wage gap between men and women to highlight economic inequality. For instance, as of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021, women in the United States earn, on average, 82 cents for every dollar earned by men (US Census Bureau, 2019).•Representation: Show the percentage of women in leadership roles in companies, government, academia, etc., to underscore the lack of female representation. For instance, only about 7.4% of Fortune 500 companies were led by female CEOs in 2020 (Fortune, 2020).•Education: Use statistics on gender disparities in education access and attainment. UNESCO reports that two thirds of the 774 million illiterate people in the world are female.•Healthcare:Highlight gender disparities in healthcare access, such as maternal mortality rates, access to reproductive healthcare, and gender-specific diseases.•Violence Against Women: Statistics on domestic violence, sexual harassment, and other forms of violence can spotlight the pervasive nature of gender-based violence.•Political Representation: Discuss the low representation of women in political offices. As of 2021, only about 25% of all national parliamentarians were women (Inter-Parliamentary Union, 2021).•Time Use: Data on how men and women spend their time can highlight gender roles and inequalities in unpaid work. For instance, women do nearly three times as much unpaid care and domestic work as men (UN Women, 2018).
Learning objective•It's crucial to grasp the concept of sex and gender, as it forms the foundation of gender statistics and is essential for your understanding.•Understand the multidisciplinary nature of gender statistics.•Knowledge of how gender statistics can help monitor the UN sustain goals (SDGs) from a gender angle, in the spirit of inclusiveness.•Understand the reasons behind the lack of some gender - related SDG data, and potential solutions to overcome related challenges
Exercise 1•Fill in the gaps with the word ‘sex’ or ‘gender’, as relevant. •1. After delivery, the doctor will reveal to the mother the _______ of the child. •2. In order to understand the differences in enrolment rates between girls and boys, the data must be disaggregated by ______. •3. A person’s ______ might or might not align with his or her _______ identity. •4. Data is typically disaggregated by binary definitions of ______, but some countries are starting to develop methodologies to capture _______ dimensions and apply these for disaggregation. •5. Women and men’s _______ roles in society determine how much time they spend doing domestic work. •6. _______ statistics include _______-disaggregated statistics and other _______-specific indicators that capture the realities and the differences in the lives of women and men.
Gender indicators•Gender indicators refer to specific measures or data points that provide insights into gender-related issues, disparities, or dynamics. These indicators are designed to capture and analyze the experiences, roles, and conditions of women, men, and non-binary individuals in various aspects of life.
•https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP8dLUxBfsU•Why Women Are Paid Less
Weekly assignment Watch the documentary and write a short essay about your understanding of masculinity, focusing on aspects that promote gender equality.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN2W0fv8hY4Words: 100 - 200 Deadline: September 22, 23:59 via Moodle