AntiSocial

Barbie and the patriarchy


Listen Later

What is 'the patriarchy' and does it still exist in the UK today?

The Barbie movie’s portrayal of the patriarchy and a world in which men have all the positions of power has triggered debate on social media around whether the UK is a patriarchal society.

According to Barbie's friend Ken, patriarchy is when “men on horses run everything”. According to history, Marxist scholars first described the patriarchy as a system that favoured men over women and characterised it as integral part of the capitalist system.

Years later, in the 1970s, it became a focal point for feminist activists who campaigned for equal rights and representation for women. In Britain today, though, when many of the laws that gave more power to men have been overturned, is there still a system in place that gives men more power than women? Is the word useful?

We explain the history of the phrase and fact-check the ways in which people across the debate measure gender equality.

Contributors:

Charlotte Proudman, campaigner and barrister specialising in gender based violence cases
Mike Bell, creator of the website Equi-law which researches disadvantages experienced by men and boys
Lucy Delap, Professor of Modern British and Gender History at the University of Cambridge
Kelly Beaver, CEO for UK & Ireland at Ipsos

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

AntiSocialBy BBC Radio 4

  • 2.7
  • 2.7
  • 2.7
  • 2.7
  • 2.7

2.7

6 ratings


More shows like AntiSocial

View all
More or Less: Behind the Stats by BBC Radio 4

More or Less: Behind the Stats

890 Listeners

File on 4 Investigates by BBC Radio 4

File on 4 Investigates

40 Listeners

Moral Maze by BBC Radio 4

Moral Maze

66 Listeners

Any Questions? and Any Answers? by BBC Radio 4

Any Questions? and Any Answers?

42 Listeners

The Briefing Room by BBC Radio 4

The Briefing Room

72 Listeners

Political Thinking with Nick Robinson by BBC Radio 4

Political Thinking with Nick Robinson

109 Listeners

Newscast by BBC News

Newscast

650 Listeners

Sliced Bread by BBC Radio 4

Sliced Bread

140 Listeners

Full Disclosure with James O'Brien by Global

Full Disclosure with James O'Brien

296 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

736 Listeners

The Story by The Times

The Story

264 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics

3,115 Listeners

The News Agents by Global

The News Agents

1,017 Listeners

Electoral Dysfunction by Sky News

Electoral Dysfunction

104 Listeners

Radical with Amol Rajan by BBC Radio 4

Radical with Amol Rajan

33 Listeners