“Real men don't cry” are the four mere words that epitomize the toxic masculinity prevalent in today's society. We've not been able to set ourselves free from the shackles of patriarchy that has been existing for thousands of years and is now practiced at a more aggregated level. Patriarchy is as ‘contemporary’ as Brexit, Donald Trump, and Nadal winning his 20th Grand Slam. It is not old-fashioned; it is as ‘in vogue’ as football millionaires, bubble tea, and Silicon Valley start-ups.
It is much more than everyday sexism. It embraces misogyny but relies on more than just that. Being the paramount hindrance to gender equality, the patriarchal mechanisms bestows power and authority to only groups of men in society, revoking impartiality and its consequences run much deeper than just inequality.
The concept of valuing masculinity over femininity has been so deeply rooted in society and etched in the mindsets of people that, despite struggling for equality for over a thousand years, they still suffer with such derogatory ideologies which associate femininity with weakness.
There have been a large number of women who have brought about revolutions but were never acknowledged for their contribution and are always overshadowed due to the persisting social system dictating that men are entitled to be in charge and dominate women.
It is, therefore, a vicious circle. Seeing women stand shoulder to shoulder thus threatens them, inflates their male egos, and controls freak nature.
We are living in menacing, perilous, and overwhelming times of male domination, where most women even now have no voice of their own, subjected to discrimination and objectification and are considered less competent in comparison to men. Defined gender roles, unequal distribution of wages and authority, failure to talk about women's achievements, and unequal distribution of household tasks not only inhibits a woman’s productivity but is also detrimental for their self- esteem and confidence.
More awareness regarding the stubborn survival of patriarchy and unveiling how these systems are being eternalized today will enable us to effectively challenge and dismantle them. They are not mysterious nor hidden from daily life; patriarchy is the dominant ideology of the world we live in this day...
Writer - Jahnavi Karnani
Editor - Priyam Kusundal
Graphics - Jhem Picache
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