Hello everyone! Welcome back to blog post #4! I loved reading all the comments on my last post, and I hope you enjoyed it! Today, we will be introducing a topic that has become international feminist jargon, patriarchy. What is it; how does it function; and is it all that bad?
Who is the Patriarchy?
In my view, the patriarchy can be defined not as a “what,” but as a “who.” According to feminists across the globe, a patriarchy is a form of social and economic hierarchy where men have more wealth and power, which allows the systemic discrimination and exploitation of women. Patriarchy is a way to describe how a society or social group is organized. There are many different definitions to what it really means, but it is generally understood as a social construct that privileges men as a gender identity, where men hold the majority of the power, particularly in government or economic leadership positions. (7)
So what’s the harm? Wouldn’t it be breezy to sit at home all day while men do all the hard work? Well, actually not only does the patriarchy oppress women, but it grooms young men into a toxic, unhealthy environment. (1)
The Patriarchy And It’s Men: Are They Okay?
The problem with the patriarchy, is that it groups all men and women into one cage, like an ant hill. If you look closely at an ant population, you’ll perhaps notice that there are many patterns and trends that govern how they act, they’re not just random and unpredictable! If you study them even more closely, you’ll realize that there are power dynamics and value systems influencing everybody. There are actually so many components that work in tandem, it looks like a grandfather clock, or a well-oiled machine. All these little dynamics are components working together for a larger goal to keep a particular type of system running, and it sustains itself by influencing people, groups and institutions to act a certain way.
Patriarchy is a system that enforces a type of oppressive power, both in how men navigate the intra-male hierarchy among themselves, and the attempts to hold women in a second class position. (8)
So how does it affect men in this way?
The patriarchy isn’t meant to give ‘men’ all the power. It’s meant to be an exclusive construct to give a few men most of the power. The rest of the men involved have power relative to women, keeping the cycle of oppression alive for generations to come. (10)
Mental Health and the Patriarchy: Partners in Crime, Or Arch Rivals?
Mental health is another issue that is often overlooked in the constant hustle and bustle of today’s modern age. But how does patriarchy relate to this crisis we live amidst today?
First of all, patriarchy has been more amplified recently, similar to the mental health crisis, by events that are out of our control. The pandemic, for example, brought upon isolation, that served to project conscious and unconscious biases into people’s minds. (9) Let’s take the overturning of Roe V. Wade as an example. On June 24th, 2022, the Roe V. Wade act was overturned by the Supreme Court in the United States, marking a win for the patriarchy, and a loss of choice for reproductive rights for women. The act upheld the Mississippi law banning most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, which was devastating for victims of sexual violence across the US. (11)
This had a huge impact on feminism, because more people were becoming aware of issues that were happening in real time, because everybody was at home during the quarantine. This led to mass protest, which unfortunately failed to bring the Courts to surrender on the topic. Roe V. Wade has been historically manipulated by mysogynists, to bring women hurt and reproductive claim. (6)
Unpacking Patriarchy: Can We Do Something About It?
While the patriarchy continues to squash and squander women and women’s rights even now, there are ways to fight against the oppression in our everyday lives.
Firstly, we have to centrally reframe patriarchy not as a “women’s issue” but as an issue for everybody. “Patriarchy has no gender.” (12) Holding men accountable for their actions in sexual violence, femicide, and human rights violations can be defined as pushing back on patriarchy.
Altering how we approach sexual violence is another way to address sensitive topics with nuance, care, and kindness. Implementing proper, comprehensive sexual education creates a strong foundation for young girls and boys to understand the meaning of consent, and fosters productive collective accountability systems for handling sexual violence.
By fighting for a better, more inclusive future for everybody, we also fight for our daughters, our sons, and the youth of the future. In my next blog post, we will be discussing how sexual violence against women is portrayed in the media, and how the content we consume is not only political, but essential to learning, and growing as a society.
Thanks for reading this post, and I hope to see you all on my next one! Goodbye!
Bibliography
1.
Cole M. What is Patriarchy (And How Does It Hurt Us All)? – Pretty Progressive [Internet]. Pretty Progressive. 2023. Available from: https://prettyprogressive.com/what-is-patriarchy-and-how-does-it-hurt-us-all/
2.
Anyangwe E, Mahtani melissa. What is patriarchy? What does it mean and why is everyone talking about it? [Internet]. CNN. Cable News Network; 2023. Available from: https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/03/world/what-is-patriarchy-explainer-as-equals-intl-cmd/index.html
3.
Hobson M. Hobson Therapy [Internet]. Hobson Therapy. 2024 [cited 2025 Dec 4]. Available from: https://www.hobsontherapy.com/blog/negative-effect-of-the-patriarchy
4.
Sharma S, Fatima N, Diva, Tannu. Patriarchy and its Impact on Women’s Struggles in Society – IISPPR [Internet]. IISPPR. 2025. Available from: https://iisppr.org.in/patriarchy-and-its-impact-on-womens-struggles-in-society/
5.
Grant A. Unpacking Patriarchy: Understanding Its Roots and Impact on Society – PSYFORU [Internet]. psyforu.com. 2025. Available from: https://psyforu.com/unpacking-patriarchy-understanding-its-roots-and-impact-on-society/
6.
Team BE. What Is Patriarchy? Gender Inequality And Mental Health | BetterHelp [Internet]. Betterhelp.com. BetterHelp; 2024. Available from: https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/current-events/what-is-patriarchy-gender-inequality-and-mental-health/
7.
Britannica. Patriarchy | Social System. In: Encyclopædia Britannica [Internet]. 2023. Available from: https://www.britannica.com/topic/patriarchy
8.
Kashtan M. Why Patriarchy Is Not About Men [Internet]. Psychology Today. 2017. Available from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/acquired-spontaneity/201708/why-patriarchy-is-not-about-men
9.
Shahroz. A Critical Overview of Patriarchy: Its Dangers to Mental Health and Interferences with Psychological Development: [Internet]. Medium. 2024. Available from: https://medium.com/@shahrozz/a-critical-overview-of-patriarchy-its-dangers-to-mental-health-and-interferences-with-b63f404b9349
10.
March 25 LMSW, 2022. Why the patriarchy hurts men, too [Internet]. The Record. 2022. Available from: https://record.goshen.edu/opinion/why-the-patriarchy-hurts-men-too
11.
LegalClarity Team. Why Was the Rowe v. Wade Case Overturned? [Internet]. LegalClarity. 2025. Available from: https://legalclarity.org/why-was-the-rowe-v-wade-case-overturned/
12.
Serres D. Why Patriarchy Persists (and How We Can Change It) – Organizing Change [Internet]. Organizingchange.org. 2014. Available from: https://organizingchange.org/patriarchy-persists-can-change/
