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/