The previous post observed how young black men and the rest of society could benefit from the experiences and struggles that composes the black feminist movement. Along with that discussion arises the opportunity to talk about how one of the central struggles of feminism affects young black men and society as a whole.
Bell Hooks (referenced in my last blog post) offered a thorough and precise definition of patriarchy: "Patriarchy is a political-social system that insists that males are inherently dominating, superior to everything and everyone deemed weak, especially females, and endowed with the right to dominate and rule over the weak and to maintain that dominance through various forms of psychological terrorism and violence."
Misunderstanding abounds concerning the concept of patriarchy. The social plague doesn't usually appear within the mainstream discourse. Think about it. When was the last time our(U.S.) society had a public discussion on the problems that a male dominated society imposes? As a result, the burden of raising awareness regarding these issues falls almost exclusively on those that identify with feminism. The tension this lack of dialogue creates is reflected in the passion that feminist display.Most people (particularly men) interpret this passion as whining or "bitchy-ness", when in actuality feminist raise questions and pose solutions that could make all of society better.
But what does patriarchy look like with young black men? First we must understand how patriarchy effects men in general. With the idea of male dominance arises the figure of the "ideal man". The " ideal man" is tough and emotionless, never betraying any thoughts or feelings that would jeopardize his "manhood". This idea of manhood needs to be reaffirmed on a constant basis including through risky behavior and violence.
The negative impact of this perspective emerges in many ways including the way in which philosopher Martha Nussbaum observes:
"Perhaps males, in our society, are especially likely to be ashamed of being incomplete and dependent, because a dominant image of masculinity tells them that they should be self-sufficient and dominant... When they are frightened, they don’t know how to say it, or even to become fully aware of it. Often they turn their own fear into aggression. "
The population that this blog investigates grapples with longstanding issues, at the forefront of which is violence and lack of education. Both of these issues are symptomatic of a patriarchal mentality. Black youths turn to violence because they never learn to articulate emotions and to not be perceived as a "sissy". They shun education because it means depending on the system, and remember, dependence is weakness. (Why go to school when I can just hustle on the streets?)
Images and music in pop culture echo these sentiments but that's a blog post for another day. Whether we acknowledge it or not, patriarchy has devastating effects on society, and young black males suffer from its clutches.
Still working on conclusions guys.
Sources and further reading:
-Take My Advice: Letters to the Next Generation from People Who Know a Thing or Two (Includes essay from Martha Nussbaum)
-Essential Concepts: How Patriarchy and Rape Culture Hurt Hurt Men: http://www.safercampus.org/blog/2011/03/essential-concepts-how-patriarchy-and-rape-culture-hurt-men/
-Patriarchy Hurts Men Too...No Really:http://zora-alice.com/2010/07/patriarchy-damages-men-too…-no-really/
-"Understanding Patriarchy " by Bell Hooks
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