ERASED

A scholar posits that patriarchy is the organizing concept behind the multiple oppressions built into the fabric of the United States.

Tubbs decided to pursue a doctorate in sociology because she believes that patriarchy is the controlling force behind many American systems of oppression. She writes, “Despite the debated origins of patriarchy it was clear to me that it dictated our society, our behavior, and social relationships in the United States and that, vice versa, these things then continued to reinforce patriarchy.” In her book, she expounds on this theory, using historical and modern examples of how “putting white men at the top of the hierarchy and keeping power out of the hands of everyone else unless it serves the dominant group to include them” reverberates through all aspects of our lives. The author traces how the intersections of gender and race permeate the way girls and women in particular experience the world. She cites Mary Todd Lincoln’s refusal to bow to gendered expectations of her role as first lady, white male gynecologists’ usurpation of reproductive medicine from BIPOC midwives, and social media’s erosion of the mental health of girls and women. Throughout, Tubbs includes glimpses into her personal history, including a description of her white mother’s upbringing and her own experience of giving birth with the help of a doula to emphasize the personal effects of patriarchy’s iron grip. The book is a deeply researched, analytical, and convincing condemnation of white male patriarchy. The author’s conversational tone renders complex concepts a pleasure to read. Although the book’s scope is impressive, it covers so much ground that it can often feel disjointed, particularly when the author strays from personal experiences that ground her ideas.

A trenchant treatise on the damaging reach of American patriarchy.