Patriarchy is a system of social organisation in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it, which is the discussion we have award-winning science journalist Angela Saini on her new book The Patriarchs. It is a system that has been in place for centuries and is deeply embedded in our culture. Patriarchy can be seen in all aspects of society, from the family to the workplace to the government.

There are many different ways that patriarchy manifests itself. In the family, for example, men are typically seen as the head of household and have the final say on important decisions. In the workplace, men are more likely to be in positions of power and to earn higher salaries than women. And in government, men are more likely to hold elected office and to make laws that benefit men more than women.

Patriarchy has a number of negative consequences for women. It can lead to lower wages, less job security, less representation in government, and less access to education and healthcare. It can also lead to violence against women, including domestic violence and sexual assault. Patriarchy is a complex and pervasive system, but it is not inevitable. By working together, we can challenge patriarchy and create a more just and equitable society for all.

So what is patriarchy?

Thanks to the following author for participating:

Angela Saini is an award-winning science journalist and author of two books Superior: The Return of Race Science and Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong. Both are on University reading lists across the world. She presents radio and television programmes, and her writing has appeared across the world, including in the Financial Times, Wired, New Scientist and National Geographic. She is a 2022 Logan Nonfiction Fellow and part of the Humboldt Residency Programme in Berlin. In 2020, Angela was named one of the world’s top 50 thinkers by Prospect Magazine, and in 2018 she was voted one of the most respected journalists in the UK. We spoke about her new book The Patriarchs: How Men Came to Rule.

Other wonderful guests who took part:

Jenifer Joy is an artist, model, educator, performer, musician, and all-round professional unicorn.

Libby Vincent, founder of a feminist leadership consultancy called Hodology.

Here are some of the resources from the show:

Writer, educator and activist Jaclyn Friedman joins Laura Flanders in this web-exclusive interview.

Books looked at this week:

Angela Saini: The Patriarchs: How Men Came to Rule

Jaclyn Friedman: Unscrewed: Women, Sex, Power, and How to Stop Letting the System Screw Us All

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Transcription