Reply To: Cults – the aftermath

Strega wrote:

So what’s the position on women in the Amish?

In Fiji at the tribal meetings only the men are permitted to speak. Their wives sit next to them and they tell their men what they want to be said. The men decide whether or not they will say it, depending on whether they agree.

“In Amish society there is a clear patriarchy in which gender roles are strictly defined. Amish Women are expected to marry, have children and submit to their husband’s will. There is no divorce. It is the responsibility of the wife to care for the children and the household. Her tasks include cooking, cleaning, sewing, gardening and maintaining the general welfare of the family. Only 3% of Amish women have a job outside of the household (Kraybill, 72). The husband is considered the head of the family and has the final say in spiritual and societal matters. At family meals, the husband sits at the head of the table. Despite the elevated position of the husband, major decisions are usually made jointly by husband and wife. Women have a vote in church meetings, but cannot hold positions of authority within the church.” (source)

As for Fiji, I know that so-called “matriarchy” occurs in some Pacific Islander societies. I put the quotes on it because I wonder if it’s really matriarchy. A friend of mine who spent some time in that part of the world expressed the opinion that women seemed to run the show because the men delegated it to them. The men, he said, would rather go fishing or lay around in hammocks eating fruit or drinking coconut milk. All power ultimately comes from force or regard for potential exercises of force.

Is what’s wrong with “patriarchy” the “patri” part or the “archy” part. In other words, while some feminists like to extoll the virtues of matriarchy, shouldn’t they really be aiming for a democracy freed of sexual stereotypes and assumptions?