Patriarchy Is A Pretence. Why Do Women Pretend To Be The Weaker Gender?

Patriarchy is a pretence. How? Because it feeds on the lie that women are the weaker or subservient gender of the society. Because it is based on women’s submission to the dominance of men which is nothing but a pretence, a drama written by patriarchal minds and scriptures of the archaic times.

So the question that we need to ask is that are women really weak or do they pretend to be so under the influence of archaic beliefs? What forces women to submit themselves to male dominance and pretend to be subservient? Just why do women pretend to be someone they are not?

Women are not the weaker gender. Period

Let us admit that women are not the weaker, subservient or marginalised section of society. It is the patriarchal mindset that portrays femininity as equivalent to weakness, servitude and even shame. Women are brought up in our society not as independent individuals but as dependent partners of men. The root of the mindset that governs gender relations today goes back to the older times when women were restricted within the lengths of the purdahs while men were allowed to show their valour and wits on the battlegrounds.

But were women incapable of handling &t=228s">politics and weapons on the battlefield? No, because history has given us numerous examples of women who knew warfare and were phenomenal as the rulers of the kingdoms. In fact, when it comes to physical strength, the myth that women are not strong enough can be busted by counting on the number of medals and achievements of women in the Tokyo Olympics or any other sports event.

And as far as ruling the kingdom is concerned, I don’t think there can be a better queen than a woman who handles the housework which is the backbone of every healthy and successful day of a member of the family. Isn’t it? Similarly, today women are not restricted within the boundaries of the house. They have stepped out, shattered glass ceilings and achieved heights that even men couldn’t.

Why do women pretend to be the weaker gender of the society?

There are still many patriarchal stereotypes that have been proven as myths weaved by the patriarchal mindset of the older times. So then is it right for us to define women’s identity based on their gender? Is it right for us to assume that women are internally weaker or marginalised section of society? How long are we going to let the pretence of the patriarchal traditions govern our present? What explains women's tendency to pretend to be the subservient gender?

Female autonomy and freedom has always threatened the patriarchy and which is why it has always tried to control, suppress and imprison female expression and power. It has made it mandatory for a woman to have a man by her side to earn name and respect in society.  It has portrayed female expression of desire, choices and power as scandalous. To nip the bud of female power and to address its (patriarchy's) insecurity, patriarchy has oppressed women for so long. So who is at fault here? The power of defiance that womanhood embodies or the subversive patriarchy that clamps down the basic freedom of a woman in an independent country?

Change that we need

It is high time now that we understand that women’s lower position in society is a pretence and not a reality. Women deserve as much freedom and agency as men do. They are equal, respectable and strong citizens of a free country. Nothing but patriarchal indoctrination and upbringing is responsible for women’s oppression in society. Women themselves often internalise their subordination and pretend to be the service provider of the patriarchy. Once we unlearn the patriarchal mindset, we can promise to build a future that defines womanhood in terms of freedom, strength and achievements with no pretence.

Views expressed are the author's own.