We have come to recognise that patriarchy hurts women in so many ways, from depriving them of education, fulfilment of dreams and their full potential, to more drastic problems like domestic abuse and rape.

But patriarchy hurts men too. Just like patriarchy forces women in to domestic roles, it pushes men away from having close emotional ties with their family. Men are expected to be the bread winners and take on authoritarian roles with little room for softness and emotion. Honest communication and expression of vulnerabilities is seen as a sign of weakness in men. This makes it difficult for many men to openly express affection for their children, even though they may feel great love for them.

This poem is about the barrier created by a patriarchal society that, sometimes, makes it difficult for a father to communicate his love for his daughter.

Of Fathers And Daughters

The day she was born,

his joy knew no bounds

But his happiness,

could find no sounds.

He knew not how to hug

He knew not how to kiss

He knew not how to be

Affectionate with little miss

When she succeeded,

he experienced pride

But in her,

he could never confide

He felt her pain,

when he saw her suffer

But his shoulder,

he could not offer

When she left home,

he knew he would miss her

But he couldn’t

bring himself to tell her

He wanted to ask,

how she was coping

Instead he asked

What she was studying

They talked about

Einstein, Bradman and Sartre

But they never could share

a heart to heart

Patriarchy imposes useless and harmful restrictions on both men and women, curtailing their freedom, confining them to specific roles they may or may not be well suited for. It is time we break free of the of the cage of patriarchy so everyone can play to their strengths independent of their gender.