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Tara Connor's avatar

This was really interesting. Thank you. I knew only a bit about the struggle between Stephen and Matilda. This really helped flesh it out. And I was nodding vigorously when I read "A woman leader in a deeply entrenched patriarchy is simply a woman whom rules in a patriarchy, nothing more." YES!!! That's the point exactly! It's why female and feminist politicians and leaders always seem to fall short of the hopes we pin to them. The game is rigged but they have no choice but to play it, and in doing so, they become servants of the system.

15thCenturyFeminist's avatar

Thank you so much for spending time with my words! Matilda is fascinating, and I’m so intrigued by her role as mother too, but that’s for a different time. “They become servants of the system” is such a good line and too true.

Leah Redmond Chang, PhD's avatar

You make such a great point about Edward V. Have you read Elizabeth Lesser’s Cassandra Speaks?

15thCenturyFeminist's avatar

I have not, but I just looked it up and added it to my TBR. Thank you so much for the recommendation. Sharing books is a love language, truly! And thank you. I was deep into Charles Wood’s Joan of Arc & Richard III where he posits that Joan was a dim witted young woman fed her lines because a coronation wasn’t as pivotal in medieval France as it was in England, and then he casually referenced Edward utilizing his regal name and the double standard hit me in the hysterics. Thank you for spending time with my words! 💜

Rhymes With "Brass Seagull"'s avatar

Very interesting, thank you 😊

15thCenturyFeminist's avatar

Thank you for spending your time with my words, I am grateful!

Rhymes With "Brass Seagull"'s avatar

You're very welcome. Very great insights so far 😊

Rhymes With "Brass Seagull"'s avatar

H/T to Katie Jgln, of The Noosphere, who coined the term "the Matilda effect".

15thCenturyFeminist's avatar

Katie is phenomenal and I love what she writes, that said, she wrote about the Matilda effect, she did not create the phrase. Just want to be clear on that because it almost comically plays into the Matilda effect. Which I think we’ve all been guilty of for sure, so I don’t want this to come across as “calling out” whatsoever. More so calling in maybe? 💜

Rhymes With "Brass Seagull"'s avatar

Indeed. No problem. My mistake, for some reason I thought she had coined the phrase. Whoever it was who originally coined it, not sure who, was brilliant though 😊

Rhymes With "Brass Seagull"'s avatar

Indeed, there is a world of difference between genuine Matriarchy versus reverse patriarchy. That said, under Matriarchy, there paradoxically still needs to be some sort of mechanism in place other than moral suasion to prevent (rogue) men from taking over again.

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Nov 3, 2024
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Rhymes With "Brass Seagull"'s avatar

Indeed, (most) men think it nerms of hierarchies: who's up, who's down. Whereas (most) women think in terms of relationships: who's in, who's out. Men structure society in the shape of a pyramid, whereas women structure society in the shape of a circle (or several concentric circles). Therein lies the paradox between the sexes. This is of course a paraphrase of other thinkers, but that's how I recall it.

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Jan 11, 2024
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15thCenturyFeminist's avatar

Tom! Full transparency, this is one of those comments that I am going to screenshot and come back to when the inner critic gets a little too opinionated. Thank you for this.

I LOVE that story, and sentiment so dang much. Wow. Too true and a very important reminder to all creatives. Thank for you sharing something that impacted your paradigms with me, I’m honored.

Also, please always feel free to share what you’re reading/ have read.

Thank you!!