Welcome to Breaking Down Patriarchy!

During Season One of this podcast, we read historical texts and laid the groundwork for understanding Patriarchal systems and how they’ve functioned in Western Civilization, mostly focused on Europe and the United States.  

During Season Two we featured dozens of unique voices from contributors – sharing essays, personal stories, poetry, and more – each discussing aspects of Patriarchy that they’re experiencing in their lives today.

Now, in Season Three, each week we’ll read a book on a different topic in global gender studies, and will discuss it with a guest who has also read – or, in many cases written – the book being discussed. Each guest this year will have ancestry from the country they discuss, and in many cases they will be longtime residents of that country, which means they will bring firsthand local experience to the discussion.

Patriarchy impacts all people, regardless of gender, all over the world. This unjust construct (defined by the dictionary as “a system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it”) has caused inestimable harm throughout the centuries… and yet we learn almost nothing about it in school. Deconstructing patriarchy in our minds, our relationships, and our communities benefits everyone.

We envision a world in which all human beings are able to flourish and to reach their unique potential. We strive to include as many voices as possible, and our work is intersectional and inclusive. We are also firmly committed to the well-being of boys and men, and we enthusiastically and gratefully enlist the help of our non-female allies in creating an egalitarian world where everyone can thrive.