Love and Patriarchy - Group 2

Love is a complex emotion that has a strong control over the human mind. There is so one definition for love. There are many types of love as well. Around Valentine's Day, the topic of romantic love is brought up more and more as the holiday gets closer. It is the one day of the year where couples are expected to go all out for their partners and show off their relationship. Both men and women have certain expectations that society believes they must meet for Valentine's Day. Men are expected to give their significant other gifts or take them to dinner, while women are expected to give their bodies in return at the end of the night.

These expectations that both genders are expected to fulfill are a result of living in a society run by patriarchy. According to Bell Hooks, patriarchy is "a political-social system that insists that males are inherently dominating, superior to everything and everyone deemed weak, especially females and endowed with the right to dominate and rule over the weak and to maintain that dominance through various forms of psychological terrorism and violence." Its is so deeply ingrained in our society, and most people don't even realize how it affects them. Women are taught that they are weaker than men and they must serve them. They are also seen as objects for a man's pleasure, rather than as their own person. Men are able to take advantage of women and then put all the blame onto the woman. They must be strong and not show any weakness. Men are powerful, and everyone else must serve them.

Patriarchy: A male dominated society

How does the system of patriarchy affect love and romantic relationships? Since the patriarchy is based on male dominance, in a relationship between a man and a woman the man will most likely want control over the woman. The man might feel entitled to sex every night or feel the need to know what his significant other is doing at all times. The woman, with the effects of patriarchy so deeply ingrained in her way of life, might easily submit to the man's rules of the relationship. This, however, does not make for a healthy relationship. A healthy relationship is built on mutual love, trust, and respect. This is how love can affect the system of patriarchy. If they truly love each other, the man would trust the woman when she is out with her own friends. He would respect her body and not feel entitled to fulfill his needs when it is not mutual. Both the man and the woman would be able to confide in each other and share their feelings without feeling invalid. They would be able to love each other without worrying about what society thinks of their relationship.

Marc Chagall, Birthday (1915)

 The painting "Birthday" by Marc Chagall is a good example of how love affects patriarchy. In the painting, Bella, Chagall's wife, is seen preparing flowers and a cake for his birthday. Chagall, so overwhelmed with love for his wife, steals a kiss. Bella is painted in a very light and floaty manner, showing that Chagall thought of her as a magical being. Chagall is also painted floated and in a very unnatural position, showing that  his love for her is unburdened by gravity. The subject of the painting makes it feel like we are intruding on an almost intimate moment between two people who are filled with only love and affection for each other. This painting could also be interpreted as a man taking control and doing anything he can to get a kiss from his wife. The wife appears busy, but that does not stop the man from stealing a kiss without consent.

The Beat and Today - Group 1

To keep it completely honest I wasn’t sure what patriarchy was. I’ve heard the word time to time but never put together what it truly meant. Reading Bell Hooks’ Understanding Patriarchy gave me an understanding on what patriarchy was and how important it was to abolish that social system. According to Hooks, “Patriarchy is a political-social system that insists that males are inherently dominating, superior to everything and everyone deemed weak, especially females and endowed with the right to dominate and rule over the weak and to maintain that dominance through various forms of psychological terrorism and violence.” I soon realized that I was raised with a patriarchal mind set. I was taught that as a man you are not only the protector of the family and also the “bread winner”. In school boys always talked about how they are better than girls, that they were superior. As a young adult now looking back at my youth it was socially acceptable for us to think that way and it shouldn’t be. For generations this idea has been a social norm. We can’t allow patriarchy to continue, it’s up to our generation to challenge that and shape the future. 

17th-century baroque artist Artemisia Gentileschi was raped by her mentor as a teenager. Using her art as weapon she attacked patriarchy. During that time women painters weren’t easily accepted in the artistic community; adding to that the rape case ruined her reputation and she was branded as a PROMISCUOUS WOMAN. 

The painting Judith Beheading Holofernes is a perfect example of Artemisia Gentileschi challenging patriarchy. As seen on the painting the Israelite hero, Judith is helped by her muscular servant in slaying Holofernes. One woman held Holofernes down to his bed while the other saws through his neck with a sword. In my opinion, the painting was a bold statement. With Gentileschi already in hot waters with being a woman painter in a patriarchal community she adds to the heat by painting a man being over powered by women. This is why Artemisia Gentileschi is one of the most subversive women artist in history. 

https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/eascfa/dinner_party/place_settings/artemisia_gentileschi

http://www.dailyartdaily.com/artemisia-gentileschi-rape-survivor-revenge/

Patriarchy in South Africa

Patriarchy, according to Bell Hooks, is a political-social system which males hold dominance and maintain that power over those who are weak, especially females, through a variety of psychological violence and terrorism. Patriarchy is in everyday life. Patriarchy has always been there since the start of humans and has been ingrained into society and its laws. A cartoonist I found that points out and challenges Patriarchy and the status quo is Jonathan Shapiro or better known as (Zapiro). He is a South African cartoonist who appears in numerous South African publications and has been internationally recognized for his work. Zapiro not only touches about Patriarchy but his work goes into the politics of now especially in South Africa.


The Patriarchy and Rape Culture in South Africa
https://realpolitik.org.za/2017/05/18/the-patriarchy-and-art-of-rape-culture-in-response-to-south-africas-escalating-political-crisis/

When searching for an artist for this assignment, this cartoon jumped out at me. This political cartoon speaks of a horrible truth that is not only confined to South Africa but can be related to the female struggle around the world. The woman in the cartoon bears the South African flag, she is the country. The men holding the woman down may be the different institutions that keep women powerless. Finally, the man pulling down his pants suggest that he is going to rape the poor woman. That symbolizes two things. One the rape culture in South Africa. And two that the patriarchy that is still in control, screws women over in society.


Here is another cartoon by Zapiro that once again hits on Patriarchy and now governments attempt to control speech.
http://whatishappeninginsouthafrica.blogspot.com/2011/06/zapiro-and-zuma.html

I really suggest taking a look at his other works so here is a link to his website:
https://www.zapiro.com/

#MyCalvins

After reading Bells Hook’s passage, “Understanding Patriarchy” I gave me better understand of what patriarchy means and I also got to understand Bells Hook’s perspective. Hook’s stated that patriarchy was uncommonly used in male’s vernacular. Many people do not know how to spell it nor pronounce it. It is also mistakenly used in definition. Patriarchy is a, “political- social system” where males are naturally dominating and superior to any obstacle in their way. In their eyes, they are the alpha dogs; they show minimal to no weakness, and they believe they can over power females. Hook’s also gave us the female prospective, “the feminists began to use the word “patriarchy” to replace the more commonly use “male’s chauvinism” and “sexism’” (pg. 25). This came to be, so males and females are more aware of their patriarchy effect on all of us.

            A series of collection that would best fit this summery of patriarchy would be the, “I ____ in #MyCalvin” collection. This collection was used to express by famous celebrates to help expose everybody personalize in each image. Famous celebrities like, Justin Bieber, Frank Ocean, Abbey Lee, Kendell Jenner and many more would take a self-portrait of them in the Calvin underwear and apparel stating something that best represents them or something they are well known for. This was a successful campaign, “now it has over 179,000 photos on Instagram tagged #MyCalvins mostly featuring models, bloggers and just general babes.” (#MyCalvins Campaign). This campaign has helped Calvin Klein to increase the growth on social platforms and it really help to promote the underwear or apparel.

            Overall, this intertwine with the Bell Hook passage because from Hook’s prospective male are always dominate and think they are superior. Females would also be able to connect with this campaign because young adults are able to express themselves and by feeling a part of a tend or a campaign it can leave a positive energy on a child’s brain. Sad so say but many people tend to be followers and think by wear something what a celebrity wear they will be more popular or cooler.

Actor: Klara Kristin and Rapper: Fetty Wap

Kendall Jenner 

Reference: 

Hooks, B. (2003). Teaching community: a pedagogy of hope. New York: Routledge.

#MyCalvins campaign takes over the internet. (2016, February 03). Retrieved February 07, 2018, 

          from http://www.trulydeeply.com.au/2016/02/mycalvins-viral-campaign-advertising-brand/

bell hooks, Understanding Patriarchy.

 bell hooks describes patriarchy as the single most life threatening assaulting the male body and spirit in our nation. hooks discusses the negative effects that patriarchy has on both men and women, young and old. She also critiques movements and people close to her, discussing growing up and seeing how patriarchal roles were forced upon her and her family by a patriarchal father.

  

inspired by frank ocean, this photographer paints black men with glitter.

This collection of photos by artist Quil Lemons challenges the toxic, hyper, and patriarchal masculinities that plague our society. He uses models of all sexualities, gender recognizations, and color and doses them in glitter to break down stereotypes around masculinity.