Patriarchy: Perpetuating the Practice of Female Genital Mutilation

The most commonly accepted definition of patriarchy is the social structure of society based on the fathers having primary responsibility for the welfare of and authority over their families. However the true reach of patriarchy extends far beyond the privacy of the familial realm. Allan G. Johnson, Professor at Hartford College for Women and sociologist states in The Gender Knot that patriarchy does not mean that all men are powerful and all women are powerless. It does indicate that the most powerful roles are held by men, that men are in positions of authority because of their ability to exert control through violence or threat of violence, and that personal attributes and social activities closely tied to men are more highly regarded in society (Johnson, 2005)