Grazie,
Have you ever made some readings that the pre-colonial Philippines is a matriarchal society and patriarchy only came along with western colonization?
I find it sad when women are disempowered by their ownselves, not by men.
First and foremost, she was recollecting her presentation in college regarding the notion of male superiority, and in the scheme of things, in the political echelons that governs society at this moment, it is still the men that rule politics, though it is undoubted that women and women's rights have championed the cause of equality.
Clearly there are instances of limited rights for women, per se in religiously centeres societies such as the Theocratic governments in the Middle East where Shariah laws are still enforced (Saudi Arabia, Iran, Yemen, Oman, etc).
As modernization continues, so too will the rights of womenkind divulge in the world stage, and such notions of male superiority indeed needs to be extinguished because both men and women are equally efficient and able.
Idealistically speaking, aside, we need to take into consideration our own current epoch; and the rights of women are still in uneven ground as to that of men, men still rule the world, in a sense since most politicians in international body politic are still men. Most of the military are still composed of men.
And oudoubtedly, it is so since the beginning of man kind, the history was written by men, revolutions were forged by men, armies were led to battle by men. Though, true, there are instances of matriarchial societies, albeit the fact that it is a limited case.
Most of South East Asia was patriarchal society. The Deva Rajas of the Khmer Empire were males, governers were men, the Kings and Princes of Siamese Kingdoms (Ayuthaya, Sukkothai) were all males and women were largely regarded as possessions in times of war and conquest.
In the Hindu-based Sri Vijayan Empire (to which the Philippines was part of), was mostly a patriarchial society, and so too was the Majapahit Empire, both of which were Malay Kingdom-Empires.
Tokugawa Japan was also patriarchial, so too was Koguryo Empire of Korea, and so too was the 5,000 year old Chinese dynasties of the Zhong, Han, Tang, Yuan, Ming, Qing. The Confucian culture of East Asia is based on the notion of male superiority.
It is based on the character and notion of Filial Piety--to which the concept is heirarchical, and within that hierarchy, the man is above the woman. That concept stresses that as the Emperor bows before the will of heaven, so too does the king bow before the authority of the emperor, and the citizens and civil servants bow before the king, so too does it transfer such relationship in the microcosm of the family life. So too was it expected that the wife bow before the husband, as the children bow before the mother. And in nature even; the grass bow before the authority of the wind.
I know the intelligence of Ms. Grace, and she meant to say that.

Cheers,
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