One could argue that women in certain cultures, societies and/or communities could use saving. It is no secret that in Islamic circles, women are considered subservient to men. It is also now no secret that the Brooklyn, NY, Hasidic newspaper Der Tzitung recently cropped a Whitehouse war room photo showing Hillary Clinton covering her mouth with her hand, as she watched the proceedings leading up to the assassinatino of Osama Bin Ladin, last week. The small newspaper, apparently, never prints photos of women because they may be sexually suggestive. This recent newspaper event proves something I already knew – patriarchal societies still exist all over the world. So, one could feasibly argue that many women who are stuck in subservient situations need salvation.
I’ve experienced a subservient culture first-hand. In a way, I would argue we all have, in that we’ve all felt the long-term effects of what it has ingrained in society, in women and in men. But, my experience was more immediate and direct. While visiting such a culture, I volunteered to work under a woman. At the time, I thought nothing of it. However, in retrospect, some probably viewed it as offensive. Undoubtedly, I challenged the status quo and made people think. It was not long before I was re-assigned to work with a fellow man.
A friend of mine recently derided women seeking “sugar daddies.” I’ve always been put-off by the concept also. However, within the historical concept of patriarchy, where women are subservient to men, the concept of a ‘sugar daddy’ seems almost like a natural progression. So, in a historical context, one could argue it makes sense, unfortunately. This got me to thinking about the post on “Debunking Cosmo.”
Cosmopolitan and similar women’s magazines are, in a way, extending the patriarchal notion, by telling women they need to dress, act and behave in a certain way for men, in order to be accepted. It’s now becoming easier for me to see why women buy into such notions – it is ingrained in them, historically, through the concept of patriarchy – a concept which still exists in cultures and communities throughout the World, including the United States of America.
As previously mentioned, I’ve spent time in a community where women were considered to be directly subservient to women. They were, in no way, considered equal. This extended from elder, married women to young women, to little girls. I felt bad for the young women who grew up in such a society and were stuck there. I felt an urge to “save them.” However, simultaneously, I knew I had no better place to take them to. I knew of no society, culture or community that would be ideal. I still don’t. That is sad.
Patriarchy is more veiled in the United States, but it is present. It is ingrained in media, people and their actions. So, I’m forced to ask myself, is it better to be patriarchal and be up-front about it, or, like much of “modern” society, is it better to have subliminal patriarchy? I think neither is desirable. The latter even seems more conniving, in a way. So, yes, women in proclaimed patriarchal societies need saving, but we all do.
