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Bell Hooks Response
Understanding Patriarchy by Bell Hook is an article that sheds light on the system that was institutionalized in our lives that assign males and females their gender roles while emphasizing what is expected of us according to our gender. While this article foundation is from the author’s experience in the fifties these dominant roles are still existing in our society. According to the author, patriarchy is a political-social system that enforces the dominance of men who are supposedly superior to women (pg. 10). The discussion below will focus on my view about various issues discussed in the article while evaluating whether they are evident in our society today and what can be done.
To begin with, I agree with most of the ideas that the author presents in this article. Firstly, the fact that it is believed that men should be the head of the household while the women only serve as their helper (pg. 1) is a sickening issue since it has led to not only most of the violence that is experienced in the marital households but that women continue staying in those marriages since that is the order of things. In addition, the author talks of what the therapist son who loved to play with the Barbie dolls until his brother’s friend gave him a look that suggested others, (pg. 2) the gender reveal we have today reinforce this as we have already picked that a girl color to be pink and a boys’ blue. What happens when the girl tends to be more masculine than she is feminine and vice versa? The author’s childhood story of the beating she experienced by showing interest in a game that was considered to be for boys is what is happening today, we have very many teens who are going to depression and even suicide when they feel like an outcast for not conforming to the society ideals (pg. 2). These ideals have been set by this patriarchal system that tends to assign roles based on our gender. Also, the fact that the mother aligned with the father’s action and never questioned the use of violence spirals to why most children from such family setup are either prone to withstand such violence in their marriages or they believe that such violence is the way to go.
Moreover, the idea that even for families who try to raise their children with no patriarchal ideals are bound to stumble upon these ideals in other institutions and tend to either try to conform is being experienced in today’s society. Today we have various families that are supporting their children who identify themselves with LGBT community but when they are out of the home setup they are bound to encounter resistance that in some case lead to some trying to conform. The ones who even end up getting married are bound to experience scrutiny since the male figure should be the dominating one yet what should happen in a gay union? Additionally, the author talks of the assumption about the children brought up in female-headed households either in gay or single-parent situation that they tend to lack various patriarchal ideals (pg. 3). These assumptions I believe are the cause of various marital issues where one partner tends to think that their partner is lacking since he lacked this figure while growing, it is wrong and until we realize that society cannot set up the expectation for us will still remain as victims of the system.
The author goes ahead and talks of the various impacts of the patriarchy system on our lives with the dominant one being the violence not only against partners but also the children. The patriarchy system believes that men should exercise their dominance by any means necessary (pg. 3), this in most cases have resulted in violence both physical and sexual which affects the victims in the long run if not the short run. The mere notion that this dominance can only be achieved by submission and subordination enforces that this system is harmful than it is beneficial and sadly it still today in the society because we do not share on how we as individuals suffer at its hands. Evidently, women are the most treated people with mental illness than men, this is from the patriarchy notion that men are to remain emotional cripples as claimed by the author (pg. 4). The system requires that not only are men to be dominant but also that they have to not show any signs of weakness, this has led to many men’s mental illness going undiagnosed leading to them seeking comfort from substance abuse escalating the even worse situation. In addition, the need for acceptance and respect is in no way related to the need for the patriarchal system, hence it is time that men know that they can be taken seriously without showing their dominance over the others either from their background with patriarchal approving fathers.
As a daughter from a Mexican household that holds masculinity at a high level, I agree in all ways with all the author’s ideas. I am the only daughter in a household of two siblings, the other one being an older male and despite him being older he was allowed to go out while I was expected to do all the house chores if this is not the real depiction of masculinity in the 20th century am not sure what is. Unfortunately, this is an issue that goes across people of different cultures and regions where however young the male siblings are they are expected to take care of the households in the event the father is not around and the ladies they are expected that once they get married they should take care of the families while men are being the provider. While this may seem as men taking responsibility it reflects what the society expects of women; it is time we looked beyond such expectations.
Moreover, the author claims that the activists of feminist contribute to the patriarchal issues we are having today since in their movements they affirm their traits and make them believe that their domination of women is beneficial while in most cases that is not the case (pg.3)Bell also insist that the fact that patriarchal would be beneficial if the addiction and violence we see in most households was not evident, he is backed up by both Terkel and Faludi’s work but he criticizes Faludi’s work since nothing in her works does she try to challenge patriarchy.
Frankly, I could not agree more with the author’s idea that the patriarchy system is one that we should all work towards abolishing and that until we recognize and openly talk about it can we achieve it. Just as the author states that way of solving this will be the recognition that patriarchy is not only a problem for the men but also the female and that it should be seen that it is not only a threat to masculinity but a manifestation of their qualities in a better way. Additionally, the author believes that ones we make the distinction between patriarchal masculinity and masculinity will be one step closer to ending this cycle. Terrence one of the author’s supporters claims that the patriarchy affecting the society is embedded in our psyches and that it tortured both males and females. He adds that this type of patriarchy is what is between what people deem as masculine compared to what people deem as feminine and that entered the western civilization hence, destroying our notion on the various sexes. and our sexes.
In conclusion, most scholars while they continue about this system and its effects in the society it is up to us as individuals to stand up for what is right and destroy this system that while giving men what they think they deserve has led to violence, substance abuse that destroys the same system. Lastly, just like what a favorite cast from the New Amsterdam series states that if we can name it then we can treat, it is time we all openly addresses the patriarchy system by evaluating its impact to the today’s society and the ramifications in the coming years if we let it continue.
Works Sited
Hooks, Bell. Understanding patriarchy. Louisville Anarchist Federation Federation, 2010.
