10 Patriarchal Rules Every Woman Breaks Just by Existing

They called it rebellion. It was just survival.

Photo by Andreia Cunha on Unsplash

Disclaimer: This text may cause unexpected discomfort to readers invested in patriarchal privilege.

If you find yourself wanting to interrupt with: “not all men,” “what about men,” or “reverse sexism” arguments, congratulations, my male!

You’ve just demonstrated exactly why this conversation is necessary. This piece isn’t designed to make anyone feel warm and fuzzy; it’s deliberately constructed to shine light on uncomfortable truths that the patriarchy prefers to keep in the dark.

So, again, if your first instinct is to defend yourself, argue exceptions, or redirect this toward men’s feelings? All you’ve doing is proving my point. This piece is not here to reassure you. It is not here to center you. You are not the audience. I am writing for women, and about the systems men built to keep us contained.

And as many women know, Patriarchy never acts alone. It entwines with racism, classism, heteronormativity, ableism, xenophobia, and ageism.

That means women don’t experience “one” patriarchy; they experience different layered versions of it.