What is the patriarchy?

I wouldn't put 'the' in front of patriarchy, as the parameters of patriarchy change over time, and 'the' suggests something static.

But generally, as I understand it, patriarchy is the name given to the fact that society, economy, politics, family, religion, the legal structure, you name it, has been organised, and is still organised, to benefit men. It used to be more overt, for example, in the fact that property and title went from father to son, that a wives property became her husband's, now it is more insiduous, the sexual objectification of women, the pay gap, the gendered nature of sexual and domestic violence, and so on.

Also, patriarchy benefits some men more than others, depending on age, race, class and sexuality, but generally, you would find that it benefitted a men of that group more than a woman of that group, iyswim.

Punk, I illustrate it to myself by thinking "where has society come from?" 60 years ago my grandma had to resign when she got married. 20-odd years ago the marital rape law was passed in the UK. Many things are improving, from a legislative POV at least, in the UK, but these changes are within living memory and so the attitudes from pre these changes will still be within many people even if they are pushing against them mentally. It took a long time for my dad to learn that he could only have one drink if driving (he never drove "drunk" but 2-3 small glasses wine) because his "habit" had to catch up with the law enforcement campaign.

Other countries are mired more deeply in the patriarchy than the uk but that doesn't mean all is well here.

I would have thought it's similar for ethnic minorities etc but I don't have direct experience of that.

I'm glad you posted this EatsBrainsAndLeaves, I know what it means in definition but personally I have very little experience of it and tend to shy away from issues involving the patriarchy.

Not exactly . . .

It's simple.A Patriarchy is the male equivalent of a Matriarchy.