Thread: DO you think there is a patriarchy in the U.S?

Originally Posted by Daredevilpwn

This does not apply in the U.S because of the simple fact that women are already allowed to take part in voting.

I think that's a very simplistic way of looking at it. That'd be like saying Black American's gained equality through voting legislation, or that Muslims and Sikhs in India are on par with Hindus because they too can participate in elections, which is absolute nonsense.

We are talking about the U.S and we are talking about if the U.S operates under a patriarchy that gives men all the power while at the same time screwing women over. Can you name any legal right that a man has that a woman doesn't? I want to know why you think we live in a patriarchy.

You analogy is also flawed because we are not talking about specific ethnic groups we are talking about gender which is much more broad.

Originally Posted by Daredevilpwn

You analogy is also flawed because we are not talking about specific ethnic groups we are talking about gender which is much more broad.

Your main argument is that having the ability to vote evens out the playing field. I pointed out that it doesn't, and gave you real world examples to illustrate that point. So this notion that patriarchy doesn't exist in America for the simple reason that women are able to vote, is incorrect.

Originally Posted by Daredevilpwn

Can you name any legal right that a man has that a woman doesn't?

Are you saying that if the law says X and Y are equal, the rest of society will treat them as such?

Ah ok. I understand your argument. You are saying that just because women and men have equal rights by law doesn't mean society is honoring it. Since you think there is a patriarchy then am I wrong to assume you also think society treats men better than women despite what the law says? Is this where you are going at? I just want to make sure I understand where your coming from.

Originally Posted by Daredevilpwn

Ah ok. I understand your argument. You are saying that just because women and men have equal rights by law doesn't mean society is honoring it.

Yeah, that's the gist of it. I don't think you can legislate an attitude away.

Originally Posted by Daredevilpwn

Since you think there is a patriarchy then am I wrong to assume you also think society treats men better than women despite what the law says?

I think society wants to treat men and women equally, and thinks that it does, but has an unconscious bias against women in certain regards. I wouldn't say it treats men better, but I would say that it doesn't treat women as well as it treats men. Overt sexism, like overt racism, has been dealt with in mainstream society. But the more subtle biases are still there - if "X" doesn't fit a certain role, people respond negatively.