Eliminating the patriarchy is every feminist's dream. Patriarchy is a system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it. Patriarchy is not a person or a group, but a system in which we live in today. Patriarchy is implicit to us all, but in different ways. Together, we can dismantle the patriarchy, and here's how:
1. Stop telling boys they can't be emotional.
Whether men and boys want to admit it or not, they cry. They cry when their partners break up with them, they cry when they skin their knees, and they cry when dogs die in movies. We shouldn't associate emotions with weakness. Emotions are a great and powerful thing, and we should encourage boys to let them out.
2. Stop telling girls they are bossy.
Qualities like control, power, and competitiveness are all 'masculine qualities.' We should stop telling young girls that they are bossy just because they want to be class president. Encourage girls to take charge. These women are our future leaders. Don't forget, "little girls with big dreams become women with a vision".
3. Can we stop with the gender roles?
Gender roles are when society comes up with a set of things each gender should do. For example, the female is considered more of a nurturer than the male, or the male is the main 'bread winner.' Basically, fixed ideas of what is masculine, and what is feminine. These ideas are harmful to both men and women. Because men also can be nurturing, and women can be the main bread winner. Why does it matter who feeds the baby or who brings home the most money? Why can't both genders be nurturing and bring home the bacon?!
4. Girl Hate: We should lift each other up, not put one another down.
Patriarchy dictates that girls should hate other girls. It says that we should be in constant competition with each other. Women have to be the most beautiful at all times. Because after all, the prettiest gets the boy. This may have been true in the 1800s, but it's 2016 and we should stop seeing each other as a rival, and more of a sister instead. Women standing together is patriarchy's biggest threat.
Bell Hooks said it best, "Patriarchy has no gender." Working together as a society can help eliminate patriarchy and all the negative holds it has on us. Let's let boys be emotional, and girls be powerful. Let's dismantle the patriarchy.
