Everything is a Power Dynamic

Under Patriarchy, everything is a power dynamic; a subtle reminder by men that men socially outrank women. One way or another, men in a patriarchy can and do find every possible way to assert themselves over women and re-affirm their superiority and power over women. To help you see these power dynamics, I've compiled a list of some common ones, some of which you are probably unaware of. That's why I'm here.

Rape and Rape Culture

"Rape is nothing more or less than a conscious process of intimidation by which all men keep all women in a state of fear." - Susan Brownmiller

As Brownmiller correctly observed, rape (by definition, a male-on-female crime) is the crowning achievement of Patriarchy, and while individual men might claim to oppose rape, deep down they know that they need rape in order to maintain their power. Indeed, when you disguise the question, a staggering 1/3 of all men would gladly rape a woman. And, of course, there are many brainwashed women out there who, like the citizens of North Korea, just can't see how horrible this finding really is, and they write post after post after video attempting to dismiss the fact that their beloved men are actually part of a huge power dynamic called Rape Culture, and that they, as men, are hurting women.


Manspreading

Manspreading is where a man sits with his legs open in public spaces. This is actually two power dynamics in one. First, it is a way for men to take up as much space as possible to advertise their power, as well as their spatial entitlement, to the women around them. Second, it exposes and frames their genital area to women, which serves to remind women of men's primary power dynamic that is rape. Manspreading is similar to bropen-mouth chewing.


Men being physically stronger than women

Men tend to be stronger than women in order to maintain their dominion over women, because when push comes to shove, literally, the stronger group wins (and rapes).

"Males, however, are socially pressured to enhance their upper body muscles, leading to a wider difference in upper body strength."

Birke, Lydia. The Gender and Science Reader ed. Muriel Lederman and Ingrid Bartsch. New York, Routledge, 2001. 306-322

And social pressure comes from the Patriarchy, so is it any wonder that most men become stronger than women? This learned strength difference sets the stage for a whole host of other micro-aggressions that remind women of their subjugated standing. Note: individual instances where one particular man is much weaker than average men don't count because they aren't part of the Patriarchy oppressing women.

• Firm handshakes - A form of physical assault to women who are unable to match the firm grip.

• Heavy doors - An affirmation that women can't compete in a man's world, where men suffer much less inconvenience from such heavy doors.

• Manual-Start Engines - Much like heavy doors, the fact that manually-started engines require a great deal of strength serves to reinforce the idea that women are lesser than men. It also discourages women from entering the comfortable careers of car mechanics, factory workers, etc.


Men being taller than women

In much the same way that men are encouraged to exercise more than women to maintain their dominance, men are also encouraged to eat more and to eat healthier than their female peers, which not only bolsters their physical strength, but it also makes them taller than most women, which allows them to literally look down on women (reflecting their internalized misogyny) and it makes the women around them feel less significant.

The fact that many women are attracted to taller men is simply the result of their internalized misogyny which has been conditioned into them throughout their entire lives.


Fart Rape

This power dynamic has already been explained by feminist Ashleigh Ingle. Essentially, it's yet another way that men overpower women and keep them in their places.

“By farting louder the man is using passive aggressive violence to position himself as dominant, this intimidates the woman to subconsciously not release as much flatulence and thus the woman fearing for her safety doesn’t fart as loud as a sign of submissiveness, this in turn contributes to rape culture and women being oppressed.”

It's highly likely that men choose to eat foods that produce louder farts for this reason.


Beards

Beards highlight and enlarge a man's jaw, making him appear stronger than he really is, which also reinforces his sense of entitlement to power. This is a power dynamic that serves to remind women that they, who cannot grow beards, are weaker and inferior to men. Hillary Clinton agrees:

"Beards are thus a prominent symbol of patriarchal oppression. Growing a beard is an action of hatred and misogyny, that will not be tolerated in my America" - Hillary Clinton


Anything

As I explained earlier, anything and everything can be seen as a misogynistic power dynamic; you just need to look close enough and keep an open mind.