Drew Lee7 said:Historically and sociologically speaking, modern feminism really found its footing alongside the Industrial Revolution. Once women started heading into factories and moving from small-scale manufacturing to assembly lines, the whole traditional setup just broke. That old-school division of labor basically became obsolete overnight.
So, the movements were definitely there, picking up steam in the late 19th century and especially during the first third of the 20th century—think about the suffragettes here in the United States.
And honestly, how would you even split the chores in a traditional rural community? Should the guy be rocking the baby and making lunch while the women are out mowing hay or chopping wood?
Look, I'm obviously not saying things have to stay that way today. In fact, I wouldn't want my wife stuck in the kitchen all day. 😂
And where exactly did I mention punishment? 😕
I'm against almost any kind of punishing kids. Whether it's physical or psychological, I'm not a fan. But again, that has zero to do with authority.
But I was talking about that stereotypical, old-school brand of authority—the kind that actually relies on various methods of punishment to get things done. I grew up in a part of the country where gender discrimination is practically baked into the tradition, where being born male or female has always carried massive weight. In that world, "authority" meant emotional distance and cracking down on kids whenever they messed up. And let’s be real, most of the time, fathers weren't even particularly involved with their daughters. Sure, a huge chunk of those traditions have faded, but my parents' generation definitely felt that divide—the whole "men's work vs. women's work" thing, different rights, and totally different ways of raising boys versus girls from day one.
Here’s a real-life example: I know this woman whose father forbids her from working in a different city because he thinks "she wouldn't handle it since she's a woman, blah blah blah." This guy is a successful businessman, his son is also an entrepreneur and holds a major role in the family firm, yet she just accepts whatever crumbs they throw her way. She’s basically trapped. Of course, that’s her own damn choice, and honestly, it’s hard for me to wrap my head around because I’d probably bash my head through a wall before letting anyone tell me what to do. But I can see the logic behind it—this outdated mindset where a father feels he needs to "protect" his daughter from life by keeping her away from responsible jobs. And don't even get me started on the legacy aspect.
That’s just one instance.
Take my mom and her brother, for example. Growing up, he could get away with absolutely anything, even though my grandparents weren't trying to be jerks—that was just how things were back then. You know the vibe: the daughter stays home, but the boy is a boy, he'll figure it out, so we can be more lenient with him. Those traditional shackles don't just snap off easily. What can I say about all those families where you see one youngest son surrounded by four older sisters? Or seeing a woman in tears because her husband turns away during childbirth because he's disappointed it’s a girl? I even had a doctor tell me about this recently—someone being blamed because they supposedly "failed" to give him a son, even though science proves that isn't how it works. This isn't ancient history; these examples are still happening today. We can mock people for being idiots all we want, but the reality is—discrimination is still very much alive.