Women’s Rights via Revolution, No 71

 

The breadcrumbs of misogyny are easily seen in a history of women’s suffering and denial of rights. Patriarchal religious societies that purposely put men first for at least two thousand years are now witnessing its noxious failure. Corrupt governments that are self-focused are quickly measured by angry public sentiment. Governments without gender balance have become dens of mistrust. Lack of respect towards women in male dominated workplaces can be uncomfortable or become dangerous.

Systemic sexism developed slowly; its design seeping toxically through millennia and distorting daily life. Parent’s desires to have boys, because they could work and support their parents in retirement and carry on the family name, only added to social attitudes towards girls and women. Words and language used to restrict or belittle females flourished in older writings where they were often portrayed in extremes for their value as virgin brides, harlots, mothers or Saints. Women’s education was often seen as unnecessary over the centuries; making it difficult to break down the structures that bound them. Men made laws to prevent women from voting, marrying who they wanted too, gaining employment, owning property, governing their own finances, traveling without a male relative guardian, divorcing their husbands, driving cars and being educated. Young women had a myriad of social beliefs heaped on then, young men the minimum. 

The witch hunts and trials showed men’s hatred for women as weak and easily corrupted by the Satan. Books like, The Hammer of Witches, were used by fanatical Catholics and Protestants to create a women’s holocaust of torture and death. Between 1450 and 1750, 30,000 to 100,000 women in Europe and America were executed for something they did not do (and a small percentage of men often by association). This dark time in our history still lingers as age when male dominance had disastrous consequences. Women’s torment in men’s wars was equally horrific and still haunts the minds of survivors. Rape culture reveals the dark hatred and opportunistic control over women. The question needs to asked, why do some men prey upon women and children? Could it be time for a less aggressive era of nurturing female rule?

To create genuine equal rights or instigate female majority leadership, drastic action is needed. To clean an unhealthy male culture remove pornographic industries, strip clubs, sex slavery, sex trafficking of women and children, predators in religious organisations, child bride traditions, sexual and mental abuse, and derogatory language towards women and girls! Maybe an apology is needed for all the great minds that were never allowed to create, write and invent? These feminine inspirations could have taken humanity on an elevated trajectory with less destructive outcomes for our planet and peoples. Sorry may never be enough for centuries of suffering, but then who takes responsibility for men’s weakness, fear and lack of control?

Women rising up against unfair patriarchal decrees should be applauded. Archaeologists have found evidence that women were revered in many ancient cultures for their understanding of the sanctity of new life and appreciation for nature. Tribal people had their Great Mother Goddess, who was seen as a benevolent loving creator and protector to all. The Roman and Greek empires had both male and female deities. Sadly, the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) began an era of male domination with set rule on the acceptable behaviour and governance of women.

The women’s suffrage movement was somewhat scandalous to the male psyche, believing women to be somehow happy with the governing system that men had created for them. Women’s right to vote was granted through sheer determination and the liberation movement of the late 60s to early 80s was an explosion of feminine intellectualism. The demise of institutional sexism had begun. Unfortunately younger generations of men and women became less aware of previous fights for equality and sexism began to creep back into some workplaces, cultural traditions and insensitive conversations. Male judgement is so often thrown upon women in workplaces for their physical appearances, if men are misogynistic or predatory in nature, they must be reported. Toleration cannot be an option if women are to gain full equality! Workplaces should be places of creativity and productivity; no one should have to deal with sexism or abuse in their place of employment. A complete overhaul in needed to clear the last remaining vestiges of sexism in communities. Relationship re-education will quicken the women’s revolution to its rightful place.

Women are no longer subject to patriarchal belief systems; because they no longer exist!

 

Sharon D Bush

Writer   Historian   Artisan   Sage  

m.au   www.thesage-sb.blogspot.com

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Book: The Scrolls of Wisdom, philosophical/spiritual self-help book finished (on the final edit – looking for publishers).