patriarchy

Patriarchy: The term patriarchy is old as civilization itself; however its origins are unclear. It is an ancient term in Greek meaning “the rule of the father” (LeGates, 2001: 11). Originally patriarchy was used to describe the herding societies of the Old Testament, in which the authority of the father over family members was absolute (LeGates, 2001: 12). However, in the 1970s this term acquired its feminist meaning when Kate Millet used it to describe male domination over women (LeGates, 2001: 12). She stated that “every avenue of power within society –military, technology, university, police etc- rests in the hands of males” (LeGates, 2001: 12). The term patriarchy is older than feminism itself and it is a prime characteristic of Western civilization (LeGates, 2001: 23). It has virtually affected every aspect of women’s lives. Hence it is important to define patriarchy because it explains the reasons for the treatment of women throughout history and what it means to their future and success in life. It is difficult to ma