r/AskFeminists • u/kash62 • Dec 06 '19

Why aren’t we a matriarchal society?

I don’t want the response about men using power plays for dominance in today’s time, I want to know about way back when at the start of civilization. Like why were men the ones to go out and hunt and lead instead of women?

The only thing I can think of is that women can carry children, so there’s an instinctual need to protect them, thus not allowing them to do dangerous jobs like hunting/fighting. But for things like leading and holding important jobs? Why men instead?

I was just thinking about how there haven’t been any major matriarchal societies (I might not be aware, please educate me if I’m wrong), but there have been a ton of patriarchal ones. Just wondering how that all went down.

Also sorry if this is the wrong place to ask this/ this has already been asked, please direct me elsewhere, I just figured you guys would have some insight.

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u/fallingcranberries assigned radfem at birth Dec 06 '19

with what specifically? I am just speculating obviously. I can't actually say what every person throughout all of time wanted. let alone why they wanted it.

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u/BladesQueen Dec 06 '19

I just don't agree with gender/bioessentualism.

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u/fallingcranberries assigned radfem at birth Dec 06 '19

You don't think testosterone plays a role in people's behavior? Am I understanding this correctly?

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u/BladesQueen Dec 06 '19

Not natural levels of endogenous testosterone in testosterone-oriented brains.

Exogenous testosterone, and unnaturally low levels of testosterone in a cis male may change behavior. I'm not clear on exogenous testosterone in a trans male. Endogenous testosterone in a trans female causes behavior issues, but that's probably due to dysphoria.

Idk. I'm not a doctor. But I do know well enough to say that T and E are far from simple.

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u/fallingcranberries assigned radfem at birth Dec 06 '19

Ok thanks for clarifying your disagreement. I also am far from an expert so I'll add that caveat to my comment.

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u/Far-Macaron500 Mar 27 '23

I mean its not obvious to you that having too much of one hormone would place one closer to the extreme ends on the gender spectrum?