patriarchal and more egalitarian? How did they develop? Patriarchy is a system where men as a class oppress women as a class. The system involves legal structures and laws, media, violence against women, sexism, and a whole variety of institutions. All men are part of the patriarchy. Yes even nice men. And all wmen are oppressed by the patriarchy. I am not sure that we all are part of the patriarchy - we may live in a patriarchal system but that what I understand the question to mean, really. You can uphold, negotiate or resist the system you live in. (plus, I don't believe in 'the' patriarchy, I think patriarchy is fluid and changes over time). So, the question is surely who do we know who upholds/perpetuates what we see to be patriarchal values. And whether benefitting from something is the same as upholding it. Benefitting from patriarchy means being able to access opportunity, being listened to, having value in society as a man etc. Upholding patriarchy means contributing to any practice which perpetuates the oppression of women. On a practical level, looking at men around me (mainly, but not only, educated middle class) many of them both benefit from and uphold patriarchal values, explicitly or more implicitly. None of them are horrible people, but you notice the patriarchal mindset in more subtle ways. I can think of one, possibly two, counter example(s) at the moment. Hopefully that does not completely miss the point. Going back up thread (I think