Feminist historical narrative

The feminist historical narrative is an historical narrative widely believed by feminists and others. The feminist historical narrative is so pervasive that even many non-feminists buy in to it. It is largely built of lies, half-truths and oversimplifications.

Ancient Matriarchy

From the 1970s to the 1990s many feminists believed in an ancient matriarchy. This has been widely debunked and even most feminists now realise it never happened.

Oppression

The feminist historical narrative asserts that women have historically been systemically oppressed by men. Feminists tend to disagree on how long this supposedly went on for. Some say it lasted for a few thousand years while other argue it has existed as long as humans have existed.

History is repleat with examples of women that were allowed to adopt male roles when they wanted to. It may be that these women were perceived buy contemporary men as being particularly competent.

• Joan of Arc
• Flora Sandes

Misogyny

Medieval Europe regarded women as morally superior men. This carries over to the modern day.

Patriarchy

In the West children inherit their father's name because the society was historically patrilineal not patriarchal.

Any Patriarchy that did not benefit men would be, by definition, dysfunctional. Thus feminists actually argue we live in a dysfunctional Patriarchy. They do have a low opinion of men.

Suffrage

In general nations that became independent during the 20th or 21st centuries granted universal suffrage to men and women at the same time. In nations that became independent before the 20th century men typically led women by a few years or decades in obtaining suffrage. Even a few decades should be seen as a short period of time given that human political thought has been developing for at least 5000 years.

Wealth and Power

Historically wealthy and powerful women have been common.

Anne Lister

See Also

• Suffrage