Women are often taught that there is virtue in not taking credit and staying in the background. This social conditioning encourages self-erasure, preventing them from claiming their power and perpetuating a system where their contributions are overlooked.
The system of American patriarchy, which elevates dominance, is detrimental even to its primary beneficiaries. It forces men to sever their natural connectedness to others and deny their own vulnerability, leading to negative personal and societal outcomes.
The societal message that women should be quieter or less bold is a historical strategy for control. This fear is rooted in the perceived "safety" of conforming to unnatural, prescribed roles, making women believe the problem is with them, not the system.
Policies that once legally barred married women from working have a lasting legacy. Modern workplace challenges for mothers, such as being pushed out or lacking support, are not individual failings but are rooted in this historical, systemic discrimination.
The U.S. Constitution intentionally excluded women from political participation, defining power for men only. This foundational decision means the country began as what author Anna Malaika Tubbs defines as "American patriarchy," not a true democracy where power is vested in all people.
The reluctance of working mothers to openly discuss their support systems (like nannies) is a symptom of a society lacking universal childcare. This creates a false narrative of solo success and prevents collective advocacy for systemic solutions like parental leave and affordable care.
Today's constant influx of global news, often negative, can lead to a sense of helpless paralysis. The most effective response is not to disengage but to counteract this by taking tangible action within one's own community, which restores agency and creates real impact.
Major societal shifts, like universal childcare, don't start with national legislation. They begin when communities model a different way of operating. By creating local support systems and demonstrating their effectiveness, citizens provide a blueprint that can be scaled into state and national policy.
Influential mothers of civil rights leaders like MLK Jr. were actively erased from historical accounts by scholars, despite their sons crediting them. This isn't an accidental omission but a strategic act to maintain a male-centric view of power and prevent new models of leadership from emerging.