Quote by Arab female intellectual (apologies I can’t remember her name but went something like this): If boys were taught to control themselves instead of girls, misogyny could be erased within a generation
Thank you for this thoughtful and thought provoking post. One of the aspects of my work is reframing natural systems to reflect their complexity with a focus on empiricism for kids. I now see that the same needs to be done in bringing women into history and colonialism into context.
This is such a fabulous question! I have a handful of storybooks that my daughter and I read that put women back into their own historical context. Let me get the list and get back to you. Thanks for asking that, such a good idea! 💜
Thank you for this wonderful post! I think that not only little boys are taught to be misogynistic, but little girls too. The patriarchy wants us to stay in our little places and conform to their ideals. I’m reminded of many times that my mother didn’t like strong powerful women because they weren’t behaving in an acceptable way. That is, quiet and docile. I look forward to future generations of women being more aware and not being quiet and docile. My daughter is one of them, I’m happy to say.
Cheers to all the women, young and old, making ripples!!! You are so right, we are all taught the lesson of misogyny every day, sometimes in large ways and sometimes in small ways, but it’s always present.
Thank you so much for reposting this. I was so happy to read it again. It lights a fire in my belly! You should do it every year. Or maybe more often depending on how the world is faring. 💕
Thank you for spending time with these words again, Tara! It means a lot. 💜 It was fun to revisit and see how my writing has changed and grown even within a year. Let’s keep that fire burning!!
Hi Mark! Thank you for spending time with my work and engaging with me on this, I appreciate it. I know it may feel like this because the same 'great men' are venerated in text time and again, however, it isn't quite true that only a handful of men are remembered in history. Patriarchy has deemed that men, their positions, power, and money were important, thus we have records-galore relating to each of those topics while everything else was deemed inconsequential. For example, John Olney was a mercer in 15th century London. He was an alderman of Coleman Street ward, served as mayor, and sheriff at various points between 1432-58. Thomas Canynges was a grocer and an alderman of Aldgate ward, he too held the positions of mayor and sheriff as well as an MP. Robert Horne was a fishmonger and alderman of London Bridge as well as a sheriff between 1446-47. I could go on for quite a while like this, so I'll stop with those few examples, but the same can be done for many of the feed lands within England in the 15th century. We can name hundreds of local men to Richard III's landed interests under Edward IV such as John Huddleston junior of Millom and John Stradling, a receiver of Ogmore. We know of the men that migrated from Wales: Divid ap Guillim Morgan and David ap Jenkins to serve Richard in his reign. We know the names of the men that served both Northumberland and Gloucester in their ducal interests, such as sir Hugh Hastings and Edmund Hastings--which give us a better understanded of the community nature of service in the 15th century. Patriarch's deemed position as important, thus we know of these men through their positions, but we don't know them as people. Hundreds of every day men doing every day tasks, known forever in the annals of history (if anyone cares to go read them), while their mothers, sisters, wives, daughters and the-like were relegated to the margins, if mentioned at all (mostly not mentioned). So yes, a handful of men are revered within the historical texts, but to equate men's representation within history even remotely to women's is a little misguided. Again, thanks for spending time with my words. Be well!
Thank you so much for sharing all of that, and for your immense kindness and support. Thank you!!
And you are so right. It starts with self love. We are taught so young to severe that love for ourself, to criticize and compare every aspect of our internal and external being. Of course we can't properly love each other, we can't even love ourselves. During the early (and frankly challenging) years of my marriage, this was a sentiment I shared often with my husband. "You want me to love you but you won't even love you!" I'm thankful to say his own self love now allows him to receive genuine love, but it was a good reminder for me that we all bear the burdens of the patriarchy.
I hadn't heard that phrase before, "war is a force that gives us meaning" -- WOOOOF. The patriarchy is so grotesque.
Quote by Arab female intellectual (apologies I can’t remember her name but went something like this): If boys were taught to control themselves instead of girls, misogyny could be erased within a generation
Thank you for adding this! Such an important insight. ❤️❤️ (If the name ever comes back to you, please do add it! I'd love to know.)
Thank you for this thoughtful and thought provoking post. One of the aspects of my work is reframing natural systems to reflect their complexity with a focus on empiricism for kids. I now see that the same needs to be done in bringing women into history and colonialism into context.
If you have recommendations on reading for kids, let me know
This is such a fabulous question! I have a handful of storybooks that my daughter and I read that put women back into their own historical context. Let me get the list and get back to you. Thanks for asking that, such a good idea! 💜
Thank you!
Thank you for this wonderful post! I think that not only little boys are taught to be misogynistic, but little girls too. The patriarchy wants us to stay in our little places and conform to their ideals. I’m reminded of many times that my mother didn’t like strong powerful women because they weren’t behaving in an acceptable way. That is, quiet and docile. I look forward to future generations of women being more aware and not being quiet and docile. My daughter is one of them, I’m happy to say.
Cheers to all the women, young and old, making ripples!!! You are so right, we are all taught the lesson of misogyny every day, sometimes in large ways and sometimes in small ways, but it’s always present.
Brilliant post ✨✨✨
Thank you 💜💜💜💜 Appreciate you spending time with my words, so so much!
I am grateful for your bold take on history of patriarchal domination. Thank you for all that you do. Your courage is inspiring!
Wow, thank you!! I am so grateful for your time and kindness. I am so glad we are all in this together. 💜💜💜
Thank you so much for reposting this. I was so happy to read it again. It lights a fire in my belly! You should do it every year. Or maybe more often depending on how the world is faring. 💕
Thank you for spending time with these words again, Tara! It means a lot. 💜 It was fun to revisit and see how my writing has changed and grown even within a year. Let’s keep that fire burning!!
Hi Mark! Thank you for spending time with my work and engaging with me on this, I appreciate it. I know it may feel like this because the same 'great men' are venerated in text time and again, however, it isn't quite true that only a handful of men are remembered in history. Patriarchy has deemed that men, their positions, power, and money were important, thus we have records-galore relating to each of those topics while everything else was deemed inconsequential. For example, John Olney was a mercer in 15th century London. He was an alderman of Coleman Street ward, served as mayor, and sheriff at various points between 1432-58. Thomas Canynges was a grocer and an alderman of Aldgate ward, he too held the positions of mayor and sheriff as well as an MP. Robert Horne was a fishmonger and alderman of London Bridge as well as a sheriff between 1446-47. I could go on for quite a while like this, so I'll stop with those few examples, but the same can be done for many of the feed lands within England in the 15th century. We can name hundreds of local men to Richard III's landed interests under Edward IV such as John Huddleston junior of Millom and John Stradling, a receiver of Ogmore. We know of the men that migrated from Wales: Divid ap Guillim Morgan and David ap Jenkins to serve Richard in his reign. We know the names of the men that served both Northumberland and Gloucester in their ducal interests, such as sir Hugh Hastings and Edmund Hastings--which give us a better understanded of the community nature of service in the 15th century. Patriarch's deemed position as important, thus we know of these men through their positions, but we don't know them as people. Hundreds of every day men doing every day tasks, known forever in the annals of history (if anyone cares to go read them), while their mothers, sisters, wives, daughters and the-like were relegated to the margins, if mentioned at all (mostly not mentioned). So yes, a handful of men are revered within the historical texts, but to equate men's representation within history even remotely to women's is a little misguided. Again, thanks for spending time with my words. Be well!
Thank you so much for sharing all of that, and for your immense kindness and support. Thank you!!
And you are so right. It starts with self love. We are taught so young to severe that love for ourself, to criticize and compare every aspect of our internal and external being. Of course we can't properly love each other, we can't even love ourselves. During the early (and frankly challenging) years of my marriage, this was a sentiment I shared often with my husband. "You want me to love you but you won't even love you!" I'm thankful to say his own self love now allows him to receive genuine love, but it was a good reminder for me that we all bear the burdens of the patriarchy.
I hadn't heard that phrase before, "war is a force that gives us meaning" -- WOOOOF. The patriarchy is so grotesque.
Thank you for your time and words. ❤️❤️