Patriarchy

Patriarchy

Men have always been in the position of power. The United States has never had a female president, and most nations are similar in that way. Though there are exceptions, throughout history, men have generally ruled the world and have had all the power. This system of patriarchy is not a natural one, but one brought about by humans. Even though men are typically in charge, the idea of a woman’s abilites has been exalted and cherished for an incredibly long time. What’s most focused on is the woman’s ability to bear life. Throughout history, what’s been valued the most is the woman’s physical features and reproductive anatomy. The ancient Venus figures of the Paleolithic age depict women with their physical features over exaggerated, as if showing what carried the most value. The burdens of life essentially were split into two. Men were the leaders, protectors and providers, while women had the responsibility of childbirth and raising their offspring, which had directly come from them. This divide of responsibility sewed the early seeds of patriarchy, because each gender gained specific roles. These roles only became more pronounced as civilizations rose. Men in early civilizations viewed a woman’s reproductive ability as something to be used almost as if that was a woman’s only purpose. In Mesopotamia women had far fewer rights than men. A woman was the property of her father and husband and could be sold into slavery for adultery. Women had to wear veils and many freedoms were restricted. Patriarchy is a result of early interpretation of the roles of each gender. Men were thought naturally to be leaders and in positions of power, while the most important thing for a woman to do was give birth and raise children. Because of this, women were often the subjects of whatever men wanted. Since a woman’s role was so specific and didn’t hold a lot of influence, they were often treated as lesser than men and seen as weak. Patriarchy is not a