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Have you ever been treated like Kat Blaque describes?

Person smiling

The number one question the patriarchy is asking is: “How do we make women feel less-than, now that they think they’re enough?” And, often, patriarchy finds ways to do so. This article addresses four ways that Indian culture in particular works to stifle women’s liberation, as well as this author’s suggestions for how to push back against it and stand up for yourself.

Person with finger held to lips, shushing

What have you heard about transexual people living in “stealth?” Misconceptions about “passing” are common among everyone – including cis and straight folks, LGBQIA+ people, and other trans people. These false ideas undermine the very valid reasons why transexuals make their own choices about how they show up in the world. Here’s an article to help us get it right.

Three bras – one pink, one powder blue, one taupe – hang on a line by clothes pins

Boobs are great, but forgetting there’s a person behind them is not. As in the case of one reader, there are times when comments on our bodies (yes, even from loved ones) are unwarranted, unnecessary, and marginalizing. And there are painful consequences to objectifying body parts associated with womanhood. To help explain why, here’s what’s not okay about these comments.

Person on the phone, frustrated with who they're talking to

We have a hard time envisioning a woman who isn’t driven by romantic aspirations. You need go no further than any grocery store magazine aisle to be bombarded with quizzes, horoscopes, and advice on love. And we really need society to catch up and stop asking single women annoying questions. But until that glorious day, here are seven snarky responses to try.

Oppression plays out in a myriad of ways – including financially. And the excitement of coming out as trans and being able to present as one’s authentic self can quickly be overwhelmed by the burden of how much it costs for a name change, updated birth certificate, and new passport – among other things. This comic puts these financial obstacles into perspective.

Young person dressed masculinely, talking on a cell phone, looking serious

Maybe you’ve heard it, been asked it, or wondered about it yourself: Why do queer women and lesbians date masculine-presenting women instead of just dating a dude? Here’s an answer.

Two people sitting on a couch, playing video games

For women into online gaming, revealing the simple fact that we’re women can leave us vulnerable to harassment. Here, one woman shares how her problems went away when she played as a male character – and how one man who learned of her gender escalated his aggression to a dangerous level. Read her account of the gaming culture that made #Gamergate possible.

Do you know who threw the first punch at Stonewall? Do you know when the movement changed from “liberation” to “pride,” and why? If you care about justice for LGBTQIA+ communities, you have to know this history. Don’t miss these crucial lessons from Laverne Cox on why we must fight transphobia and end patriarchy, racism, and classism in the LGBTQIA+ community.

Rape jokes, false sympathy, hashtags like #NotAllMen: These are hurting survivors. So if you’re sick of rape jokes or wonder why other people are, catch a prize-winning slam piece from these young Brave New Poets.

In our patriarchal society, fathers are taught that loving their daughters looks like control, like possessively sheltering them from the world. However, Will Evans—through this potent spoken word poem—explains that his version of fatherly love is a practice of protecting his daughter’s agency and autonomy to dictate her own life and make her own choices.

It’s so revolutionary to see loving and joyful images of queer women—especially when they are a part of a historical archive. It is an empowering reminder that, in spite of the homophobic misogyny our elders and chosen ancestors had to endure, they still fell in love, created art, marched the streets, and built community with each other. Check out these photos.

Due to patriarchy, our society does not want to acknowledge the frequency and impact of sexual violence directed at boys and men. Because of the misogynist socialization of masculinity, boys are taught to embrace and celebrate their abuse. This leads to years of silent trauma for too many men. Let’s debunk some of these harmful stereotypes and inaccurate myths.

Because we live in a patriarchal society, many places of employment still believe men to be the breadwinner of their families. People of other genders earn 78% less than men and lose 4% of their wages for every child they have. This is one of the ways poverty is linked to sexism. Check out this infographic to learn more about how the wage gap affects parents.

In response to patriarchal trauma, this powerful spoken word poem addresses the resilience that happens when women assert themselves. It reminds women that they are more than insults, than tools to provide some man a sense of pleasure or power. It reminds women that their voices ARE the weapons that can fight and conquer systemic and cultural oppression.

In this humorous video, W. Kamau Bell juxtaposes the perspectives of people who experience cat-calling with those who perpetuate it. The victimizers argue that it is a compliment and makes the people they harm feel better about themselves. Those who are victimized tell a completely different story — one of frustration, exhaustion, violation, and terror.

Contemporary video game narratives normalize the sexual and murderous objectification, exploitation, and violence against women so cavalierly. One can’t help but question how expose to the murderous rape culture of this media influences the perspectives and behaviors of its players. How long will we tolerate such gruesomely misogynist depictions of abuse?

Patriarchy has delegated the realm of parenting to women and girls. Consequently, fathers, specifically teenage fathers, are not given the resources or skills to emotionally and financially provide for their children. This invisible dynamic, with the support of legislative classism and racism, perpetuates class immobility for many teen fathers and their families. Let’s do better.

So many cis-LGBQ+ media sources claim to be advocates of trans inclusiveness. But by even refusing to acknowledge a trans person’s chosen name in how they report on them, they become gatekeepers and enforcers hegemonic patriarchy. So here are nine ways for the media to keep in mind when doing stories on trans folks.

The reality of male privilege is well established. There is no question that being female carries a significant “life penalty” with it. There’s no denying that male privilege exists. However, sometimes it feels taboo to ask how far male privilege goes. Who better to ask about it, though, than trans men and women who have lived on both sides of the divide?