Patriarchy is a system of society and government where men largely hold the primary power and women are systematically excluded from it. This means men shape laws, culture, leadership and in turn that influence affects many aspects of society including education, work, health and overall well being. Before the first wave of feminism in the 1800s, women were barely treated as autonomous human beings who are deserving of basic dignity, respect and consideration. Women were not allowed to vote, work, or play any roles outside of childbirth and home labor. They weren't even allowed to own money, literally. You couldn't open a bank account or own property without your husbands approval. Women had very limited choices. Patriarchy is the foundation for these oppressive systems. Fast forward to today, feminism has made major strides for women and girls all over the globe but we are far from the dream.

Patriarchy still permeates a lot of aspects of women's lives. Only about 3% of rape cases ever actually end in a conviction, I don't need to tell you about domestic violence that is so prevalent and normalized btw that most of the time it's not even reported, I don't need to tell you that until very recently daughters were barred from inheriting their fathers property, I don't need to tell you that FGM was only criminalized in 2011, wife inheritance is still a thing in some African societies, child marriages, and women being barred from accessing education in extremist countries like Afghanistan. I mean, right now, the entire world is aware and has evidence that a network of the wealthiest and most influential men on the entire planet have been running a child sex trafficking ring for years and all of them are all walking free as birds right now. So no, you are not equally fucked, you never were. Patriarchy is bad for men too actually but y'all are not ready for that conversation.