Taking it Further: Patriarchy, Toxic Masculinity and Male Privilege

Much of the world, not least of which is Sri Lanka, is fronted by patriarchal societies. A patriarchy is a social system that privileges males over females - where men have power politically, economically, socially and morally over women.

A patriarchy is often fuelled by ideas of toxic masculinity. Toxic masculinity refers to the subtle (and not so subtle) ways in which boys and men are often pushed by society to be strong, self-reliant and powerful. 

Toxic masculinity demands men be 'hard' rather than otherwise. This means men are encouraged to participate in 'tough' activities - sports, displays of physical strength, and even acts of violence- both towards each other and women and children. 

Tying into this is the idea of male privilege. Men are often able to get away with many mishaps, not least of which are the misadventures that were analysed in 'Explorers...'. In patriarchal societies, men are judged less harshly on legal, ethical and moral grounds than women. 



Reflect on the many ways we see the above being reflected in our society as of contemporary times:

- The ever-growing list of male celebrities, sports stars and politicians who have been accused of sexual assault and harassment of women (and sometimes other men), and whose efforts in silencing their victims are being broken apart by the #MeToo movement. 

- The lack of female equity in the workplace, government, religious institutions and beyond. In many cultures, women are expected to fulfill 'traditional' roles by restricting their activities to domestic chores and looking after their children and families. This is a good example of a classic dictum of a patriarchal society. 

- In some parts of the world, likewise, girls have a much harder time getting access to education, as they are expected to comply with traditional familial and cultural norms (such as marrying early). 

- The oppression of people whose gender and sexual orientation does not align with the norm. Traditional patriarchal societies focus exclusively on promoting heterosexuality (male-female relationships) in keeping with tradition. 

- The excessive ways in which women's bodies are policed, as opposed to men. (Women facing excessive dress codes in certain situations as opposed to men). Women are also expected to be more 'demure' and 'well-behaved' than men.

- Women's continuing lack of easy access to reproductive health facilities in many parts of the world.


Reflect on these issues, and make a list of points for a debate in class. Think critically on how we can address these pressing concerns to create more just, equitable societies for both women and men around the world.