Unikum 04 April Web

This Is a Man’s World... Still!
Diogo R. Maia
Writer
Illustration: AdobeStock // Jorm Sangsorn
During the debate about Feminism organized by Unikum on the 7th of
March this year, it was interesting to notice how the subject of Patriarchy
developed, and it became clear that this topic, just like Feminism, is a
fracturing one. The event had the name “Feminism, do we still need it in
2023?”, which to me sounds ironic since Feminism is a young movement
that has barely taken off in most countries around the world. One could
say that Feminism has some traction in the Western world, but the same
cannot be said for the rest of the globe. I suggest another topic for a debate
with a similar name: “Christianity, do we still need it in 2023?”, after all,
it has been around for over 2000 years and I dare to say that a lot more
people have died and suffered because of it, but that is just a guess, of
course...
Awareness, reflexion, repenting and forgiveness. Aren’t these words
venerated by Christians? To sin and to repent for a sin, isn’t that a normal
procedure taught to “us” by Jesus? Then, when confronted with injustice,
inequality, and violence towards women and racialized minorities, why
can’t people reflect on its causes and repent? Why is it that suddenly we
forget “our” Christian values and do not allow ourselves to see the face
of the devil? Why is it that we can’t ask God for justice for those that are
oppressed? In Israel, at the time of Jesus, the Jews were oppressed by the
Romans, and so were the Christians thereafter. No believer can deny that.
So, why do we deny that women are oppressed? Why do we deny that
racialized people are oppressed? Because we are the Romans of our time,
and we dictate who is to be crucified next.
Feminism is to me – and yes, it is important to define what Feminism is,
in order to understand what we are talking about (in response to what
one of the panel members said about not wanting to define Feminism, as
if we could argue about something without exactly knowing what) – the
understanding of the intersectionality of specific struggles and forms of
oppression from which women have suffered throughout history and
consequently the empowerment of women for more gender equity,
solidarity, and freedom, which allows for societies to grow and develop in
a fairer world, by taking down toxic preconceived ideas and values that do
not only harm women, but also harm men. Feminism is a state of mind,
a realization – some sort of “the holy spirit’s breath of air” – that allows
one to understand the injustice and unfairness that women must face just
because of their genitalia. But it is not just women that suffer, also men
do. Yes, men also suffer! That is right! You did read it correctly! But suffer
from what, you may ask? From the Patriarchy! And all the expectations
that men must carry, because of the retrograde ideas and values that are
imposed upon us, and the shame that it brings when we are not capable of
fulfilling such expectations.
For those who never heard about the Patriarchy, I would better define it as
the sets of values and ideas that most societies all around the world have,
which secure the greater benefit for males, and that dictate gender roles
in society by excluding females from positions of power and of higher
importance. Now, the Patriarchy is not a conscious plot done by a group
of men sitting in chairs with evil smiles on their faces trying to find out
what horrible thing they should do next, although that is probably not far
from the truth. Instead, the Patriarchy is represented by the things in life
that one does not even think about, because that is just the way things are.
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