Patriarchy

What is it?
Means rule of the father (derived from Greek)

Typically a system of government or society where men hold the primary power, and is a way of
retaining power along men. For example inheritance and how previously in history for a royal family
having a boy was important so he could continue the blood line.

 Only in 1990 did marital rape became illegal.

 In some courts a woman’s testament is worth only half of a man’s testament.
 And only this year were women aloud to drive cars in Saudi Arabia.

A system of male dominance of women not only politically but socially and economically.

Gender Stereotypes
They originated from when a woman’s job was to marry a man.

Women are expected to shave their arms to be ‘beautiful’ and men are expected to be strong and
show no emotions.

Aggressive – Passive

Domestic – Political

These ideas have over perpetuated over the years through the media and advertisement.

Van Zoonen
Her theory is that if the world is male dominated then the media is also male dominated. There are
more males in dominant positions of power then females at the moment. If that is the case then
when media is produced it will have a male skew to it. The media reinforces dominant ideas about
genders.

Van Zoonen believes the media strategies of radical feminists are straightforward: women should
create their own means of communication and try to free themselves completely women have to cut
off all ties with men and male society.

Here is a stereotypical list that Van Zoonen believes exists in the media

Femininity Masculinity
Caring Cruel
Nurturing Neglect
Irrational Rational
Private, Home Oriented Public, Work Oriented
Sensitive Emotionless
Passive Active
Gentle Rough
Soft Hard
Based on these gender values this would indicate a world where women are treated less than men,
they are seemed to be fragile weak and submissive. The men would be treated a strong powerful
people who lead and took ownership of the women.