CW: chapter 2 contains a detailed description of child abuse by a parent
Hello comrades, it's time for our second discussion thread for The Will to Change, covering Chapters 2 (Understanding Patriarchy) and 3 (Being a Boy). Thanks to everyone who participated last week, I’m looking forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts again. And if you’re just joining the book club this week, welcome!
In Ch.2 hooks defines patriarchy, how it is enforced by parental figures and society at large, and the struggle of antipatriarchal parents to raise children outside of these rigid norms when the border culture is so immersed in them. Ch.3 delves deeper into the effects of patriarchy on young boys and girls and the systemic apparatuses that reinforce gender norms.
If you haven't read the book yet but would like to, its available free on the Internet Archive in text form, as well as an audiobook on Youtube with content warnings at the start of each chapter, courtesy of the Anarchist Audio Library, and as an audiobook on our very own TankieTube! (note: the YT version is missing the Preface but the Tankietube version has it)
As always let me know if you'd like to be added to the ping list!
Our next discussion will be on Chapters 4 (Stopping Male Violence) and 5 (Male Sexual Being), beginning on 12/11.
Absolutely, and it forces you to think about the subtler, more insidious ways it manifests in daily life. Unfortunately in my experience if someone rejects the term or concept of "patriarchy", chances are good that they'll also reject the qualifiers that hooks adds to her definition. You call it white-supremacist and they say "but but but affirmative action!" (and usually they're opposed to AA because they say that the REAL racism) or, "but but we had a black president!" So the fully describing the problem kind of selects for people who genuinely who want to learn and understand the complexities of modern western society, similar to how hosting an optional book club self-selects for people interested in growing and educate themselves. It's such a struggle to get people to understand or even try to engage with intersectionalism.
I've been considering posting excerpts of the book in other comms where relevant to expose users who aren't in the book club to the ideas within. I know the people who really need to read this book the most are not going to and generally have no interest in learning or growing as people and that makes me so sad, but there are things I can do (and we all can do) to spread the good word around so to speak.
Other comms would be helpful. Especially some of the good quotes. I really enjoy mensliberation@lemmy.ca as well. Having a parallel book club or similar coordination would be helpful to spread some information. It is obviously a big ask but a short book helps.