Patriarchal bargain
Patriarchal bargain is a term coined by Turkish author and researcher Deniz Kandiyoti in 1988 in the article "Bargaining with Patriarchy". Patriarchal bargain is the blueprint for how women deal with concrete constraints of different types of patriarchal systems by accepting gender rules that are unfavorable to women in order to survive. These different types of patriarchal systems reveal the various ways that women use to conform to gender norms so they can gain some sort of benefit in return.[1]
Definition
Before discussing the actual term patriarchal bargain there are some important terms that make up the word, that should be explained. First, patriarchy, which is a system built on relying through the privilege of class, gender, race, and sexuality. While also relying on the forms of oppression that target these differences, such as violence, bias or even laws to keep this kind of inequality alive.[2] Another term that deals with patriarchal bargain is gender roles. Which implicate how the male and female gender are expected to speak, act, dress, and function in society.[3] Meaning individuals who identify as male are expected to be tough, muscular, aggressive, while not showing emotion and exhibit traits of masculinity. Where as individuals who identify as female are expected to be kind, nurturing, while caring about their appearance and exhibit traits of femininity. Another important term that deals with the patriarchal bargain is Gendered nationalism. The theory that concepts of nationalism such as citizenship and national identity, influence and incorporate gender roles. From a feminists theory, it's the idea that our nation is mainly interested in the support, growth and representation of the male gender, leaving the female gender behind in forms of equal treatment, citizenship, and civil laws. "Women remain in positions of inequality, as evidenced by their low numbers of political representation in governing bodies and their wages relative to men's. The unequal position of women in society, therefore, means an unequal citizenship"[4]
Patriarchal bargain is defined as a tactic in which a woman chooses to accommodate and uphold patriarchal norms, accepting gender roles that disadvantage women overall but maximizing her own power, safety and options. It has been used to explain why women in patriarchal societies get married, wear veils, and conform to societal norms about sexual behavior. According to Kandiyoti, patriarchal bargaining changes in nature in different societies based on "class, caste, and ethnicity." [1] Sociologist Lisa Wade states that patriarchal bargain is "an individual strategy designed to manipulate the system to one’s best advantage, but one that leaves the system itself intact." [5] Women choose to conform to the patriarchal system because they feel that the benefits that they receive by conforming exceed the benefits that would come from challenging or changing the system.[6]
History
Deniz Kandiyoti illustrates the term "patriarchal bargain" by contrasting two systems of male dominance and specifically looking at the implications on women in her article "Bargaining with Patriarchy." The first system that Kandiyoti looks at is in sub-Saharan Africa. The second system is in the Middle East, South Asia, and East Asia. In sub-Saharan African societies, women are more independent and are responsible for their and their children's well-being while openly resisting becoming dependent on their husbands. In this polygamous society, men have fairly low responsibility and control over the support of their wives and children due to the insecurities of the polygamy. In areas such as the Mwea irrigated rice settlement in Kenya and in Upper Volta, women would protest and sometimes even leave their husbands when their husbands would take control of their plots of land or demand access to unpaid labor. This polygamous society, with autonomous women who openly resist becoming subordinate to men, is contrasted by looking at the "patriarchal belt" in the Middle East, South Asia, and East Asia where "classic patriarchy" is present. In classic patriarchy women are subordinate to all men and older women; and young girls are married off into households headed by their husband's father without any rights to the girl's fathers's patrimony. The only way a woman can gain access to the patriliny is by producing a male offspring. The power of women follows a cyclical pattern, and a woman gains authority in the household when she becomes a mother-in-law and has control over younger women, especially her daughter-in-law. Unlike sub-Saharan African societies, women in classic patriarchies do not resist becoming dependent on their husbands in order to maximize their security.[1]
In modern society
Patriarchal Bargain is a system that has become well-known and universal. Here are some examples of celebrities in the United States using this system to their advantage to break into pop-culture and media industry.
Many examples of patriarchal bargain appear in the media and pop-culture in the 21st century. In the age of reality television and using digital platforms to boost a career, celebrities are subject to use the patriarchal bargain. The act of women using their sexuality in order to achieve success and a career is the prominent illustration of the patriarchal bargain. A recognized example of the patriarchal bargain in pop culture is Kim Kardashian. Kardashian is known for building a career around her attractiveness and sexuality. It is speculated that Kardashian purposely leaked a sex tape of herself and R&B singer Ray J in 2003. The release of this sex tape catapulted Kim Kardashian into extreme fame.[7] In November 2014, Kim Kardashian appeared on the cover of Paper Magazine with her bare buttocks showing as she faced the camera smiling. This picture photographed by Jean-Paul Goode was the beginning of the "Break the Internet" campaign.[8] This picture faced a lot of criticism for being an "obviously provocative stunt" in order to gain public attention. Critics of this photo believe that it is just another example of a celebrity using their sexuality in order to get attention to gain more fame and success.[9] Nicki Minaj is another well-known female celebrity who appeared posing suggestively on Paper's cover as part of the "Break the Internet" campaign in 2017.[10]
A recent example of the patriarchal bargain in media occurred when American tennis player Serena Williams posted a photo on Twitter of herself wearing undergarments behind a sheer curtain. Williams was subject to public scrutiny and took the photo down. This scandal happened soon after a man was arrested for stalking the tennis star. One sports columnist called Williams hypocritical for posting such a suggestive image and stated that she was asking to be stalked. By Williams making her body visible to the public, some suggest that it allows her to be treated as public property, giving people the right to make comments about and judgements on her body. In this way, Williams was accused of participating in the patriarchal bargain by trading her sex appeal in exchange for the increased attention that comes to women who obey the rules of this bargain.[5]
Another example of the patriarchal bargain would be reality TV star Tila Tequila. Tequila is mainly known for expressing her sexuality through her provocative photos on Myspace and posing nude for Playboy Magazine. Her popularity from her scandalous photo-shoots got her multiple reality TV shows on MTV and even a career in music. Her success and fame in the industry prove that Tequila has managed to settle with gender norms and sexism while using them to her advantage. However, she ran into some trouble trying to use the patriarchal bargain. In 2010 she went to court with her ex-boyfriend, who threatened to release their sex tape they made back while they were still together. "Tequila went to court to get an injunction against the tape’s release, but the judge denied her request, arguing that ‘Tila exploits her sexuality’ anyway"[11]
Reasons
Most women contribute to this system because of the unfair placement they were given in society. One reason women may use this system is due to the unfair stereotypes in the workforce. Most women in the work force are often perceived or viewed as these stereotypes "sex objects, a mother, a child, or an iron maiden".[12] Most women can never escape these perceived labels and fall behind in the workforce, having only access to stereotypical feminine jobs due to glass walls and the glass ceiling. This system allows women to gain some movement in society by abiding to the sexism and gender norms forced upon since the beginning of time.
Effects
The patriarchal bargain has been used in many cases for individuals to advance in society, but many are unaware of the effects this on the setback it gives minorities as a whole. By women conforming to the patriarchal bargain system, and accepting/negotiating with gender roles and sexism this can have a huge impact on women in society as a whole. It may show that women who succeed will be "those who are male-centered and male-identified; who conform to patriarchal values; and who do not seriously threaten the patriarchal order".[2] They aren't just contributing to the set back of women in general but are also contributing to others who are also effected by the patriarchy system, such as other races, classes, and ethnicity's.
References
- Kandiyoti, Deniz (September 1988). "Bargaining with Patriarchy". Gender and Society. 2 (3): 274–290. doi:10.1177/089124388002003004. JSTOR 190357.
- Becker, Mary "Patriarchy and Inequality: Towards a Substantive Feminism," University of Chicago Legal Forum: Vol. 1999: Iss. 1, Article 3.
- "What are gender roles and stereotypes?". plannedparenthood.
- Kaufman, Joyce P.; Williams, Kristen P. "Nationalism, Citizenship, and Gender". Oxford Research Encyclopedias.
- Pages, The Society. "Serena Williams' Patriarchal Bargain - Sociological Images".
- Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, Vol. 28, No. 3 (Sep., 2003), pp. 281-295
- Morgan, Eleanor (2016-04-20). "Why is Kim Kardashian famous? You asked Google – here's the answer | Eleanor Morgan". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-03-15.
- Fortini, Amanda (12 November 2014). "Break the Internet: Kim Kardashian". Paper.
- Gilbert, Sophie (2014-11-12). "Everything Butt the Girl". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2019-03-15.
- von Unwerth, Ellen (15 November 2017). "Break the Internet: Minaj à Trois". Paper.
- Wade, Lisa (October 14, 2010). "Tila Tequila's Patriarchal Bargain". The Society Pages.
- Fixmer-Oriaz, Natalie; Wood, Julia T. (2019). Gendered Lives: Communication, Gender, and Culture (Thirteenth ed.). Cengage Learning, inc. p. 195.