at the table. I was on a thread recently where I was arguing the point that unless you are in favour of women being treated less well than men or that you believe that men SHOULD have complete power over women then you're a feminist. I stand by that utterly, and I believe in the patriarchy (how can one not?), I do NOT and WILL NOT accept the OP's assertions that all men are the enemy and that all men reinforce the patriarchy. This has simply not been my experience and I refuse to believe that the children that I am raising will grow up to be men who make sexist jokes/comments, patronise women or not challenge rape myths. It is simply too depressing to buy into that mindset. It is a fact that we are ALL part of the patriarchy. Even women who are feminists and live with other women are part of the patriarchy. Because we live in a patriarchal society, it shapes every part of everyone's lives, and it damages us all, men women, straight, gay, parents, the childless. All of us. You cannot choose not to be "part of the patriarchy" unless you go and live on an island somewhere, or move to a place which operates under a matriarchy (if such places actually exist - which I doubt, I imagine that even matriarchal societies are only called thus because women have slightly more power than they do in a patriarchal society! That might make an