I am gonna try and write this and sneak away. As a person of science, i never took the sociolgy courses, so the patriarchy word rings rather hollow to me. Yes, there are patriarchs and matriarchs. I take some issue over blaming things all on the testicled ones. Yes, they are a bigger beast and can harm their smaller females. But also, said females choose these males for mates rather than the little guys. People will be offended by my use of males and females, because we are supposed to be “above the animals” but it is this very view that blocks from making decisions about ourselves. There is a reason, in general, why women care for their children more than their male partners. They created and carried the child in their own bodies. The male donated a bit of stuff. And maybe he is sure that is his baby or maybe not. The human animal is very unique in a variety of behaviors. Some of these unique qualities are things like hidden estrus, estrus once a month, and ongoing sexual responsiveness to the selected mate. Most animals are very obvious when in estrus. Most animals are in estrus at only certain times of the year, and when not in estrus have no interest in sexual behavior. Humans can continue to have sexual activity well after it it known the female human is pregnant.
The bonobo is an animal with some similar receptiveness.
The bonobo
As no species other than Homo sapiens has survived from the human line of that branching, both Pan species are the closest living relatives of humans and cladistically are equally close to humans. The recent genome data confirms the genetic equidistance.
Primatologist Frans de Waal states bonobos are capable of altruism, compassion, empathy, kindness, patience, and sensitivity,[3] and described "bonobo society" as a "gynecocracy".
Due to the promiscuous mating behavior of female bonobos, a male cannot be sure which offspring are his. As a result, the entirety of parental care in bonobos is assumed by the mothers.[41]
a child can have more that one father
Growing up as a kid in San Antonio, I knew that my Nana was the one who said how things went. If an uncle wanted a divorce, she would tell them they had better get back to their wife and child, or else. When another uncle went AWOL during WW2 she beat him with a broom stick and back he went. In my culture, my Dad was the boss of everything, but my mom handled all the money, all the kids, the house, the bills, everything. Poor Dad, he was just the worker who had to bring home the bacon to her, she took it all and raised us, his children.
I guess what I am trying to say is that women are complicit in the giving power to the Patriarchy, their power.
The patriarchs are not always so smart.
(with the Monica Lewinsky/Clinton thing coming out).