Riya walked into the room full of dread, her hands were sweating, she felt like an NPC background character, fearfully awaiting the ML to come and slay her for daring to insult the FL, but stopped just in time by the FL who convinces the ML otherwise and thus, banished from the kingdom.
She fished out her pen and one singular notebook she carried with her as the Professor came in. Unlike most professors who simply gave a pdf version of the notes to them over via whatsapp, her Sociology Professor loved to make everyone’s lives harder and they usually spent the entire class writing down her dictations.
The Professor wrote down today’s topic, Patriarchy on the board, and started the class…
“Patriarchy is a often used term… in everyday conversation…. The question here is ‘what is patriarchy?’.... In casual conversation, whether in English… or any other language the term implies ‘male domination’,... “male prejudice (against women)”,... or more simply ‘male power’.”
Riya wrote down as fast as she could, her hands started to hurt already…
“Put simply, the term means… ‘the absolute rule of the father or the eldest male member over his family’.... Patriarchy is thus the rule of the father over all women… in the family… and also over younger socially and economically subordinate males…. Literally… patriarchy means rule by… the male head of a social unit… Like family, tribe…. The patriarch is typically a societal elder… who has legitimate power over others in the social unit.”
“Ma’am? Could you repeat the last line, please?” One of her classmates asked, which gave her time to rest her hand for a bit.
“Who has legitimate power over others in the social unit… However, since the early twentieth century… feminist writers have used the term patriarchy… as a concept to refer to the social system of masculine domination over women…. Patriarchy has been a fundamentally important concept in gender studies…. Feminist writers have developed a number of theories that aim to understand the bases… of women‟s subordination to men…. The term patriarchy is not only a descriptive term that explains… how different societies construct male authority… and power, but also become an analytical category….”
Riya wanted to cry, she had no idea how long she had been writing, it must have been at least half an hour, she wanted to sleep.
“This change of the use of the term patriarchy from a… descriptive to an analytical category took place… in the 1970s… in a specific global historical context… of feminist political and intellectual culture…. In the course of time this later… led to the development of the discipline… of women‟s studies or gender studies, when women agitated for their rights….”
“How much time till class ends?” Riya asked the guy sitting next to her, a bit hopefully.
“...Class just started ten minutes ago…”
FUCK!
“At the Universities women demanded… that their experiences and points of view be taken seriously… that patriarchy emerged as a way of both describing… and explaining the world…. Since this time, patriarchy has been used critically… to explain the main components of authority… and power in any social system…. Patriarchy automatically privileges men… over women such that women have little or no claims… to material… sexual and intellectual… resources of the society.”
Riya’s hand hurt, all this couldn’t be real, it must be a nightmare… It wasn’t possible that the class had started only ten minutes ago… What sort of backrooms bullshit was this fresh Hell?!
“That is, in a patriarchal society women… have to struggle to be educated… to have property or to make choices… regarding marriage and other aspects of life…. For men, these resources are a matter of right and… can make choices that affect their lives... Taking some examples to clarify the way… in which patriarchy is evident in our daily life… When a man raises his voice in the course… of an argument and redoubles on his point of view… without letting others, especially women… get to utter a single word… his actions are likely… to be described as ‘aggressively patriarchal’.”
Riya looked around, her hand wrote by itself, that had to be a sign she was dreaming, right?
“If a women complains of sexual harassment… at her work place… and all the men in her office deny that this could ever happen... The reasoning of men can be described as being… ‘typically patriarchal’.... In public speeches that disclaim the subordination… of women… this decimal is described by the term… ‘patriarchy’... In a very general way ‘patriarchy’ is a ‘catch’ word… that describes the different ways in which society… discriminates against women… These examples explain the many… different and subtle ways through… which patriarchy is expressed in the society.”
Riya was sure she was dreaming, or maybe a memory? She didn’t remember learning this chapter in class…
“Anglo – European anthropologists, writing in the nineteenth century… used the term widely. In their writings, „patriarchy‟, usually referred to a social system where men were family heads, descent was through the father…. Men alone were priests, and all laws and norms… were dictated by the male elders in the community…. When used in this sense, the term, ‘patriarchy’ is often contrasted… with the term, ‘matriarchy’, which referred to a social system… where women exercised political authority over men… or possessed decisive power… and exercised a measure of control… over social relationships… and everyday life.”
Riya decided she had enough, she didn’t want to be here, she wanted to leave! But her hand wouldn’t stop writing! No matter how hard she pulled… Her hand just wouldn’t let go of the pencil.
In the evolution of society, matriarchy was usually considered… and earlier and more primitive stage of society… and patriarchy on later… and more advanced stage of society… In contemporary discourses on gender… patriarchy is a central concept that feminist writers… have been grappling with to explain differential positions of men… and women in the society…. These writings view patriarchy… as the subordination of women…. The patriarchal system provides self – definitions… and norms for women…. These social norms restrict the social… roles of women as mothers and wives…. The patriarchal system… also amply rewards all those women… who learn to passively their defined roles….”
Slowly but surely, Riya managed to pry her hand off the pen.
The pen still continued to write, made sense after all, this was a dream.
Riya got out of her seat and walked towards the door, the Professor’s voice rung clear in her head.
“Both wifehood and motherhood… become glorified in the patriarchal system…. These roles are granted social sanctions… and at the same time are also eulogized… in local folk lore… in literature… and religion so that women do… actively engage themselves in playing their social roles… and thus themselves contribute and perpetuate… the patriarchal social order…. Patriarchy has both productive… and punitive aspects…. Thus women who wish to remain single… and refuse marriage are treated with disdain… by the society…. Similarly women who are not fertile… or those who cannot bear children especially male… are ridiculed and held in contempt… and their position in the family… is a non-existent one.”
Riya walked out of the room, instead of ending up in the hallway however, she ended up falling, even with the wind rushing past her ears, she somehow managed to hear the Professor’s voice, loud and clear.
“The position of widows, especially upper caste widows… under the patriarchal system was even pitiable…. Widow remarriage was prohibited…. The widow was excluded from also socia…l and religious functions of the family… confined to the house and household chores…. Those women who did not fall… into this pattern of society… that is those women who… refused to be invisible… and did not conform to their civic… identity on their fertility and… domestic status were ridiculed… and criticised for being stubborn and even as unnatural… to their basic biology…. In some countries women… who did not marry… or were not fertile… or who became widows at a young age… were deforminised in some ways…. For example in India… upper caste widows were required to slave their heads… wear no ornaments… or colour garments as they… were viewed with suspicion.”
Riya wished she would stop falling, she tried to imagine a mattress or something to cushion her fall, but that mattress never manifested…
“They were women who had deviated… from the conventional norms of reproduction… and had to be relegated to… a lowly status and position…. Women who appeared as a threat to… the larger society because they did not… conform to the norms that governed… feminine behaviour were accused of practising… magic and sorcery…. They were identified as witches…. Witch-hunting by men was expressed… through violence against these women… who were severely punished… publicly humiliated and ever killed…. Patriarchy has been viewed as… more than just the subordination of women…. It has been pointed out that not all men are powerful in a patriarchal system.”
Splash!
Riya felt herself fall into cold, cold water.
She kept falling, and falling, and falling, into the cold water, she couldn’t break out of it, she couldn’t open her eyes, she was trapped inside a watery-nightmare coffin.
“For example younger men in the family… have less authority and power than older men…. They have to defer to older men till… their turn to exercise power comes…. The lower class and underprivileged men… and in the Indian context the… ‘dalit men’ have lesser or no authority… as compared to the upper class… more privileged and upper caste men… Such men who are oppressed and exploited… by powerful men are denied access to resources of the society… as well as their own masculine identity… Inspite of this… that certain classes and category of men… are the targets of patriarchal authority… the fact remains that all men can claim resources… and power more easily than women… in their families or communities…. In the lower caste lower class families… male children get to eat better food… and are more likely to be sent to school… and receive health care than the female children.”
Riya opened her eyes, her vision was tinted green, she was inside some sort of capsule, she felt panic well up inside her, but she felt strangely at peace.. Peacefully floating in some tube thing with green liquid…
“Another example is that of the Hirjas in India... They actively renounce and refuse their masculinity…. They are often the object… or ridicule and derision…. Moreover, many of them are… from lower castes and lower classes…. The above discussion clearly brings… out the way in which patriarchy differentiates… between men and women…. And through such differential treatment… women are denied access to resources… of the society and to positions… of power and authority both… in the family and in the community…. What do men control in the… Patriarchal System… Different areas of women‟s lives are… said to be under patriarchal control… One... Women’s productive or labour power… Men control women‟s productivity both within the… household and outside… in paid work… Within the household women provide… all kinds of services to their husbands… children and other members of… the family throughout their lives….”
Riya closed her eyes, trying to manifest some other type of scene, try to block out the stupid lecture from her brain, try to get out of this dream…
Try to do something instead of being so powerless…
“Feminist writer Sylvia Walby… calls this as the ‘patriarchal mode… of production’ where women’s labour… is expropriated by then husbands… and others who live there…. She calls housewives as the… ‘producing class’ and husbands are the… ‘expropriating class... The work done by housewives is… not considered as work at all and housewives… become dependent on their husbands…. Men also control women‟s labour… outside the home…. They make women sell their labour or… they may prevent their women from working…. They may appropriate what women earn… often women are excluded… from better paid work…. They are usually working in jobs… with low wages… or work within the home in what is called… home based production… which is itself an exploitative system…”
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
When Riya opened her eyes this time, she was in an office or something like that, looking over the shoulder of some guy and was looking at his computer screen.
“This control over and exploitation… of women‟s labour means that men benefit… materially from patriarchy…. They benefit economically from the subordination… of women… This is the material or economic basis …of patriarchy… Two…. Women’s Reproduction… Men also control women’s reproductive power…. In many societies… women have no control over their… reproduction capacities…. They cannot decide how many children they want… whether to use contraceptives… or a decision to terminate pregnancy… In addition men control social institutions like religion… and politics which are male dominated…. Control is institutionalised by laying down… rules regarding women‟s reproductive capacity… For example, in the Catholic Church… the male religious hierarchy… decides whether men and women… can use birth control contraceptives.”
Riya tore her eyes away from the monitor, something was nagging her to look outside the window, she walked towards the nearest glass window and saw a sprawling futuristic metropolis in front of her.
“In modern times… the patriarchal state tries to control… women’s reproduction through its… family planning programmes… The state decides the optimum size of the country‟s population…. In India for example… the birth control programme limits… the family size and discourages women… from having more than two children…. On the other hand, in Europe… where birth rates are low, women are lured… through various incentives… have more children…. Women are given long… paid maternity leave… child care facilities and… opportunities for part-time jobs…. Patriarchy idealises motherhood… and thereby forces women to be mothers…. It also determines the conditions of their motherhood…. This ideology of motherhood is… considered one of the bases… of women’s oppression… It also creates feminine and masculine character types… and perpetuates patriarchy…. It restricts women‟s mobility… and it reproduces male dominance.”
By this Point, Riya was able to somewhat tune out the constant lecture ringing in her ears, instead, she focused her eyes on the sky.
There were TWO SUNS!
“Three. Control over Women’s Sexuality… Women are obliged to provide sexual services… to their husbands according to their needs and desires…. Moral and legal regulations exist to restrict… the expression of women‟s sexuality outside marriage… in every society..; while male promiscuity is often condoned… Another way of exercising control over women’s sexuality… is when men force their wives… daughters or other women in their control… into prostitution…. Rape and threat of rape is another way in… which women‟s sexuality is controlled… through notions of ‘shame’... and ‘honour’... family honour…. Lastly… women’s sexuality is controlled through their dress… behaviour and mobility… which are carefully monitored by the family… and through social… cultural and religions codes of behaviour…. Four. Women’s Mobility… Besides control of women‟s sexuality… production and reproduction… men also control women‟s mobility.”
Was all this a dream or a bunch of memories?!
The lecture is definitely a memory (she wasn’t smart enough to come up with the meaning of life in her dreams or whatever), The falling… Probably a dream? There’s no way she could have survived that… The green liquid tube must also be a dream… But what about this?! The future-city with the two suns?!
This had to be a dream right?!
Riya closed her eyes, for the last time, she wished she wasn’t here… That she would wake up…
“The imposition of purdah restriction… on leaving the house… limit on interaction between the sexes are some of the ways… by which the patriarchal society controls women‟s mobility… and freedom of movement…. Such restrictions are unique to women… while men are not subject to such restrictions…. Five…. Property and other Economic Resources… most property and other… productive resources are controlled… by men and are passed… on from father to son.”
Her back started to feel a familiar softness of a bed against her…
“Even in societies where women have… legal rights to inherit property… customary practices… social sanctions and emotional pressures… that prevents them from… acquiring control over them.. According to UN statistics… ‘Women do more than sixty percent of the hours… of work done in the world… but they get ten percent of the world’s… income and own one percent… of the world‟s property’.... We have seen how men control… different areas of women’s lives through… the patriarchal order… of the society-
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Riya woke up with a gasp, she was in her room, her room in New Rome… In Harmonia…
“My lady, are you well?” Madonna asked her, she was sitting next to her, “You had such a fitful sleep but I worried to wake you.”
Well that’s just great, someone could have woke her up from whatever the hell that nightmare was (sociology was always a nightmare) and she could have easily got up but noo~ “I’m fine.” Riya said curtly, “However, could you please wake me up next time if I look like I’m having a nightmare?”
Madonna nodded and crossed her hands, “Understood, My Lady.”
Riya really didn’t want anyone in her room, she just wanted to be alone after that weird nightmare, “Could you please leave me alone to my thoughts?”
“Unfortunately, My Lady, I had been sent to help you get dressed and guide you to the Portal room.”
What?! WHY?! ”Please elaborate.”
“The End-of-Spring Gathering is today, My Lady.”
Oh~~ That’s why~~ “At what time do we leave?”
“We must leave at the eleventh hour, My Lady.”
Riya thought about taking a nice bath before leaving, an hour or two soak with those nice smelling salts that Valerie made (side-quest) that seemed to be really popular with the nobility and made you smell like strawberries, “Excellent, what time is it now?”
“It is the tenth hour, My Lady,”
Not excellent… Screw the salt bath, a bucket and mug will have to do. “Very well then, I shall go to take a bath now.” Riya got up to go take the bucket-shower, Madonna followed her, “You may stay here.” She said.
Madonna looked confused, “But My Lady, Do you not need any assistance?”
Oh right… Madonna didn’t really serve her much in the bedroom (get your head out of the gutter), that was Evanne’s job (out of the gutter I said! Out!) and Evanne wasn’t here because she was probably helping the others pack shit for the Spring gathering or something. Riya didn’t take any assistance because:
1. She was very self conscious about her body
2. She’s very independent, ok? The very thought of someone helping her put on and take off her clothes or scrub her down in the bath gives her ick!
“Oh no, it’s fine.” Riya said, “I can do it myself please just leave my clothes on the bed and leave to inform the others I’ll be a bit later.” Shari’s took time to wear after all…
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By the time she was done (taking the bath and wearing the Shari) she heard a knock at the door.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!
“Come in!” she said.
Turning around, she noticed her female retainers… And some others who were not her retainers… had entered the room, “Oh.” Riya said, “Have you come to escort me to the Portal room?”
The crossed their arms and bowed, “Please forgive us, My lady but… We are in need of assistance…”
“Tell me, What assistance do you need?” It better be something small, they only had half an hour till the needed to reach the portal room.
“We request the esteemed privilege of assisting you in donning your Heavenly attire, adorned with the utmost care and reverence.” Bianna said, holding out a stack of folded shari’s.
…Ya they weren’t going to make it to the portal room in time, “Pray tell, what compels this deviation from the original plan? Were we not all intending to grace the occasion adorned in our individual sartorial elegance, harmonising seamlessly in a carefully curated colour palette? Also, who are they?” She gestured to the other ladies in the room who definitely weren’t her retainers.
Bianna bowed again, “Dear lady, Lady Maria has expressed the desire for us, your devoted retainers, to don garments reflective of your esteemed homeland. She contends that, in a gesture of unwavering loyalty, we ought to exhibit our solidarity by adorning attire resonant with the traditions of your birthplace. Furthermore, she proclaims that the noble retainers in Lord Deb's service are partaking in this venture as a demonstration of camaraderie, given the perceived similarities in the sartorial tastes of your distinguished self and Lord Deb. To signify their support for Lord Deb, they have been instructed to attire themselves in dresses fashioned after the style befitting his origins, mirroring the unity in diversity that binds both your households.”
Deb’s retainers bowed in acknowledgement, Riya eyed the shari’s in Bianna’s hands, sure enough while some of them matched her navy blue shari, some looked bright red and gold, like the sunset.
“Very well.” Riya said.
Looks like she didn’t have enough time to wear any makeup… Oh well, she’ll just wear some eye-liner and lipstick and call it a day.
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After she had taught them to wear a shari, about half an hour had past.
Just in time to get to the portal room.
Riya looked at herself in the (very expensive, gold plated) full-length mirror one last time. She looked alright, her navy blue shari matched her black lipstick and eyeliner.
[https://images.cbazaar.com/images/navy-blue-embroidered-saree-sasli663438-u.jpg]
She looked at her retainers, they also looked good, although their shari’s were a different pattern (and a bit plain) to make her stand out more.
[https://images.cbazaar.com/images/navy-blue-georgette-saree-sakvf14065-u.jpg]
Deb’s retainers looked ok too.
KNOCK KNOCK!
“My Lady?” The voice said, “May I come in? I am here to escort you, and the other ladies to the Portal room.”
“Come in, Sebastian!”
Riya turned around to see Sebastian wearing a navy panjabi and white dhoti.
[https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse2.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.TSXdLkp19GsJe91yEqSDgQHaLG%26pid%3DApi&f=1&ipt=85ac76e46cb6055f0a99a1ea258024862b46994f5fc585ee4f1e00df5f17379b&ipo=images]
“Come now.” Riya said, “Let’s all leave.”
As they were leaving, Riya felt like vomiting. She didn’t want to go to the stupid End-of-Spring Gathering and she was sure she was gonna mess up.
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“Ok, once more.” Shuu said, “You will be referred to as Projookta. Ok? Not Riya, Projookta.”
Riya grumbled, sure she understood why she had to be called by her good name (she was going to a formal function!) but that didn’t mean she had to like it! “I know, I know.” Riya grumbled, “So… When are we leaving?”
Wasn’t it time already?
Shuu sighed, “Debajoti is taking some time, apparently even though we’ve only been here for three months. Debajoti’s retainers had suggested they show off a trend to show ‘the power and knowledge of the Gods’.”
That sounded pretty stupid to Riya, “What trend will he be showing off?”
“An instrument.”
Ahh…
When Deb finally can, about ten minutes had passed, “I’m here~! Let’s go now.”
Riya watched the dish next to the teleportation circle glow as a few retainers gave it mana. She looked at everyone in the room, they were all wearing traditional clothing (well, the retainers were wearing traditional clothing of their employers, other then Max, Mellissa, Harry and Sally, they and their retainers wore what looked like modern clothing, but something celebrities would wear on the read carpet or at the Met gala).
She watched as her friends and retainers disappear group-by-group until it was her turn.
This time, she didn’t make the mistake of eating before teleporting.
In fact.
She didn’t eat at all!
And because of that… She was so hungry she could eat a horse…
She’d like to say that she’ll have a good time eating till she explodes at the gathering… But the food was so shitty the last time, she was probably going to have to go hungry for the rest of the day today…
Seriously, she’d rather die than eat whatever shitty gunk the Sovereignty would throw their way.