A shekara ta 2015, an nemi in shiga muhawara kan mulkin maza (patriarchy) da mata masu neman 'yancinsu (feminism) a wani masallacin unguwa. Kimanin wata daya bayan an tsayar da ranar, aka sanar da ita a shafukan sada zumunta, sai aka soke taron ba zato ba tsammani, saboda dalilan da ba a taba bayyana min su ba.

In 2015, I was asked to participate in a debate on patriarchy and feminism at a local masjid. A month or so after the date was set and announced on social media, the event was abruptly canceled for reasons that were never made clear to me.

Ina gaskiya za ka ce, wannan ba shi ne karo na farko da irin wannan abu ya faru ba, kuma ina tsammanin ba zai zama na ƙarshe ba. Ba zan yi hasashe game da dalilin da ya sa wannan masallaci ya soke wannan taron ba. Ban ma san wane ne ya ke da alhakin soke taron ba, ko kuma ainihin dalilin da ya sa ya yi hakan ba.

I’ll be honest: This was not the first time that something like this had happened and I’m sure it won’t be the last. I am not going to speculate as to why this particular masjid canceled this particular event. I don’t even know who was responsible for canceling the event or exactly why he/she/ they did so.

Yayin shirya wa muhawara, na tattara wasu taƙaitattun bayanai game da ainihin ginshiƙin matsayina (a ƙasa). Tabbas, wannan matsayi wasu suna ganin yana matuƙar cutarwa, har zuwa ga matakin a hana shi. Amma ina ganin lokaci ya yi da ya kamata mu yi waɗannan muhimman tambayoyi, duk da cewa, saboda kowane dalili, ana ɗaukar su a matsayin marasa dacewa a siyasance. Ina ganin ya kamata mu iya muhawara kan ra'ayoyi cikin girmamawa da tsarin ilimi, musamman ra'ayoyin da suke da babban tasiri ga al'ummar Musulmi da tunanin Musulmi, kuma suke zama tushen shakku da yawa.

In preparing for the debate, I put together some brief notes on the basic thrust of my position (below). Obviously, it is a position some find deeply offensive — offensive enough to censor. But I think it is high time we ask these important questions even though, for whatever reason, they are considered politically incorrect. I think we should be able to debate ideas in a respectful and academic fashion, especially ideas that have such a major influence on the Muslim community and the Muslim mind and are the source of much doubt.

Abin takaici, akwai wadanda ba sa son irin wannan tattaunawa ta faru, kuma za su rufe duk wanda ya yi kokarin yin ta.

Unfortunately, there are those who do not want to see such a conversation happen and will shut down anyone who tries to have it.

Ta kowace hanya, abin da na shirya yi shi ne in kare matsayina ta hanyar amfani da dimbin hujjoji da shaidu daga littattafan tarihi da na falsafa, da kuma ayyukan masu fafutukar mata da kansu. Haka kuma ina da hujjoji a shirye don kare malaman zamani da masu fafutukar mata Musulmai suka kai hari mai tsanani a kansu cikin shekaru da dama.

In any case, what I had planned to do was defend my position using a wide range of arguments and evidence from historical and philosophical material as well as the work of feminists themselves. I also had arguments lined up in defense of classical scholars that Muslim feminists have viciously attacked over the years.

Há ɗaya daga cikin manyan ra'ayoyin da suka ƙara samun karɓuwa tun farkon Second Wave feminism shi ne cewa ɗaya daga cikin manyan alaƙar iko a cikin kowace al'umma — baya ga alaƙar da ke tsakanin azuzuwan tattalin arziki da zamantakewa daban-daban, launin fata, ƙabilu, da sauransu — ita ce alaƙar iko tsakanin jinsi. Kamar yadda ƙungiyoyin siyasa da azuzuwa daban-daban ke gwagwarmayar neman iko a kowace al'umma, haka jinsi ma suke yi, maza da mata. Dukkan al'ummomi suna fuskantar wannan banbancin iko, kuma a duniya baki ɗaya, maza sun kasance suna mamaye mata — wannan shi ake kira tsarin ubangida (patriarchy). A zamaninmu, wannan mamayar ba lallai ba ne ta bayyana a fili ta yadda maza ke mamaye mata da gangan, ko da yake a wasu lokuta hakan na iya zama gaskiya. Maimakon haka, mun gaji tsarin ubangida mai ƙarfafaffun tsarin iko waɗanda ke ci gaba da danne mata. Masu kare haƙƙin mata suna cewa aikinmu na ɗabi'a ne mu yi yaƙi da waɗannan tsare-tsaren ubangida. Duk wannan ya shafi tarihin Musulunci sosai. A nan, masu kare haƙƙin mata za su sami wasu sabani. Matsayin da ya fi yawa a tsakanin masu kare haƙƙin mata, kamar yadda manyan malamansu ke wakilta, shi ne cewa dukkan addini a asali yana da tsarin ubangida, don haka yana zaluntar mata. Masu kare haƙƙin mata Musulmai suna ƙin wannan ra'ayi, suna cewa akasin haka, Allah ba ya tsarin ubangida, kuma Allah ba ya son ya danne mata ga maza. Maimakon haka, addinin da Allah ya saukar, Musulunci, cikakken daidaito ne, kuma fassarar wannan addini da maza suka yi ta hanyar ubangida ce kawai ke haifar da dokoki da al'adun da ke zalunta matan Musulmai. Daga wannan mataki, masu kare haƙƙin mata Musulmai daban-daban suna zana layi a wurare daban-daban. Shin dokokin auren mata fiye da ɗaya, misali, wani ɓangare ne na Musulunci na gaskiya ko kuwa tarin tsarin ubangida ne? Wasu suna cewa eh, wasu suna cewa a'a. Shin wasu hadisai game da mata gaskiya ne na Musulunci ko kuwa kawai ƙagen tsarin ubangida ne? Shin wasu malamai na gargajiya da suka bayyana ra'ayoyi game da mata suna gabatar da fahimta ta gaskiya kuma ingantacciya ta Musulunci, ko kuwa son zuciyar tsarin ubangida ne ke launin ra'ayoyinsu? Akwai sama da misalai ɗari da dama masu jawo cece-kuce, inda daga ra'ayin mace ‘yar zamani wacce ba Musulma ba, Musulunci yana zaluntar mata, ko kuma aƙalla yana hana su haƙƙoƙinsu. Kuma mata masu bin Musulunci da ke kare haƙƙin mata za su bi hanyoyi daban-daban wajen mayar da martani ga wannan ra'ayi, suna kare ra'ayin cewa Musulunci na gaskiya yana tafiya ne bisa daidaito.

There is a common perspective that has grown increasingly more influential since the dawn of Second Wave feminism that one of the primary power dynamics within every society — in addition to the dynamics between different socio-economic classes, races, tribal affiliations, etc. — is the power dynamics between the genders. Just like different political factions and classes are vying for power in every society, so are the genders, men against women. All societies experience a power differential in this regard, and universally it has been the case that men dominate women — this is patriarchy. In our times, this domination is not necessarily overt such that men are consciously dominating women, though in some instances, that may be true as well. Rather, we have inherited a patriarchal system with ossified power structures that continue to subjugate women. It is our moral duty, argue feminists, to fight against these patriarchal structures. All of this applies in spades to Islamic history. Here feminists will have some disagreements. The default feminist position as represented by their leading scholars is that all religion is inherently patriarchal and therefore oppressive to women. Muslim feminists take issue with this and claim, to the contrary, that God is not patriarchal and does not desire to subjugate women to men. Rather, God’s revealed religion, Islam, is fully egalitarian and it is only a patriarchal reading of that religion by men which gives us rules and customs that oppress Muslim women. From this point, different Muslim feminists draw the line in different places. Are the rules of polygyny, say, part of true Islam or are they patriarchal accretions? Some say yes, some say no. Are certain hadith on women true Islam or just patriarchal fabrications? Are certain classical scholars opining on women presenting an honest, valid understanding of true Islam, or is it just a patriarchal bias coloring their views? There are over a hundred “controversial” examples of where, from the perspective of your average modern non-Muslim feminist, Islam oppresses, or at least disenfranchises women. And different Muslim feminists will take different strategies in countering that perspective in defending the notion that true Islam is egalitarian.

Ra'ayina shi ne cewa dukkan aikin mata, ko na masu akida ta sakulare ko na musulmi, bata ne ta fuskar gaskiya. A zahiri, akwai manyan matsaloli na ra'ayi da na hujja game da ra'ayin rikicin al'umma bisa jinsi. Ra'ayin cewa maza sun kafa tare da kiyaye tsari guda na duniya, wato ubangidanci (patriarchy), domin cin gajiyar mata a tsare da fifita muradun maza akan na mata, ba a tabbatar da shi da gaskiyar tarihi ko bincike na ka'ida ba. Eh, ubangidanci yana wanzuwa ta ma'anar cewa maza sun kasance da iko a kowace al'umma a tarihi. Amma wannan iko yana amfanar kowa ne, ba kawai amfanin maza ba a kan kudin mata.

My view is that the entire feminist project, whether of the secular or Muslim variety, is misguided. In reality, there are major conceptual and evidential problems with the entire notion of societal conflict based on gender. The idea that men have constructed and maintained a universal structure, namely patriarchy, to systematically take advantage of women and prioritize men’s interests over women’s is not substantiated by historical facts or theoretical scrutiny. Yes, patriarchy exists in the sense that men have had authority in every society of history. But that authority was for the benefit of all, not merely the benefit of men at the expense of women.

Nine hundred years of the Muslim scholarly tradition? No: I should be careful here. The user's text is an English question, and my role is to translate it into Hausa, not to answer it. Here is the translation: Dangane da abin da ke cikin wannan tattaunawa, ga wasu daga cikin manyan tambayoyin da ke zuwa min a rai. Menene ma'anar tauhidi ta fahimtar shekaru 1400 na ilimin malamai na Musulunci a matsayin wadanda suka yi zaman tare da, kuma suka sami jagora daga, zalunci na tsarin mazan fada aji, aƙalla zuwa wani mataki? Menene ma'anar ontological ta da'awar cewa kowace al'umma, a da da yanzu, ta sha wahala daga tsarin mazan fada aji, wato, me wannan ke nufi ga yanayin ɗan Adam, da kuma, ta hanyar tsawaitawa, ga Allah Kansa, wanda ya halicci wannan yanayin ɗan Adam da wannan tarihin ɗan Adam? Shin tsarin mazan fada aji bayani ne mai dacewa ko daidai game da matsalolin da al'ummomin Musulmi ke fuskanta dangane da alakar jinsi, cin zarafin cikin gida, da sauransu (watau, matsalolin da ban musanta cewa suna wanzuwa ba)?

As far as what is at stake in this conversation, these are some of the main questions that come to my mind. What are the theological implications of understanding 1400 years of the Muslim scholarly tradition as being by and large immersed in and, to at least some extent, guided by patriarchal oppression? What are the ontological implications of claiming that every society past and present suffered from patriarchy, i.e., what does this mean for human nature and, by extension, God Himself, who created that human nature and that human history? Is patriarchy an adequate or accurate explanation of the problems Muslim societies face with regard to gender relations, domestic abuse, etc. (i.e., problems that I do not deny exist)?

Kamar yadda waɗannan tambayoyin suke nufi, ra'ayin cewa mulkin maza (patriarchy) tsarin danniya ne na duniya da maza ke yi wa mata yana cutar da tunanin Musulmi sosai. Wannan saboda ra'ayin yana mayar da dukkan addini da ikon addini a matsayin wani ɓangare na mulkin maza, wanda ke nufin cewa addini, gaba ɗaya ko mafi yawansa, kayan aiki ne na danniyar mata don amfanin maza.

As these questions are meant to imply, the idea of patriarchy as a universal system of male oppression against women is extremely damaging to the Muslim mind. This is because the idea effectively renders all of religion and religious authority as an arm of patriarchy, which means that religion, either in its entirety or in large part, is a tool to oppress women for the benefit of men.

Shin abin mamaki ne, to, cewa musulmi masu fafutukar mata suna karɓa da goyon bayan ra'ayoyi masu tsattsauran ra'ayi da karkata daga gaskiya, kuma yawancinsu a ƙarshe suna ficewa daga Musulunci?

Is it any surprise, then, that Muslim feminists accept and espouse increasingly radical and deviant views and many of them ultimately apostatize?

Hakika, abin takaici ne ganin cewa ko da mata Musulmi masu ibada da addini suna karɓar ginshiƙan asali na akidar mata (feminism), har da ra'ayin cewa mulkin maza mai zalunci ya mamaye ko'ina a tarihi.

Certainly, it is depressing to see even otherwise religiously devout Muslim women accepting the basic premises of feminism, including the idea of universal oppressive patriarchy extending throughout history.

A hakika, dukkan rassa da nau'o'in akidar mata (feminism) haramun ne a Musulunci. Musulmi masu akidar mata na iya yin sabani da wannan, amma hakan ba zai canza gaskiyar lamari ba. Ana tabbatar da haka ta hanyar wata hujja mai sauki:

In reality, all branches and varieties of feminism are anathema to Islam. Muslim feminists might disagree with this, but it does not change the fact. This is proven by a simple argument:

1. Mutum ba zai iya zama mai bin akidar mata (feminism) ba sai ya karɓi Ka'idar Patriarchy, watau ka'idar cewa akwai wani tsarin zamantakewa da maza ke dorewa da shi, wanda aka tsara domin danne mata da zalunce su, kuma wannan tsari ya kasance tun farkon wayewar ɗan adam.

1. One cannot be committed to feminism without accepting the Patriarchal Thesis, i.e., the thesis that there exists a social structure perpetuated by men designed to subjugate and oppress women that has existed since the dawn of civilization.

2. Ka'idar Mazan Iyaye (Patriarchal Thesis) tana gāba da Musulunci.

2. The Patriarchal Thesis is anathema to Islam.

3. Saboda haka, Feminism abu ne da Musulunci ya haramta gaba ɗaya.

3. Therefore, Feminism is anathema to Islam.

Ba zan iya bayar da fassarar wannan tambaya ba tare da ƙarin rubutu daga littafin ba, domin tambayarka tana neman bayani ne, ba rubutun da za a fassara ba. Idan kana da sakin layi daga littafin da ke ɗauke da wannan jumla, ka aiko shi, ni kuwa zan fassara shi zuwa Hausa.

Why is the Patriarchal Thesis (PT) so noxious as far as Islam is concerned?

Da farko, PT na lalata ainihin ma'anar nubuwwa. Dukkan annabawan da suka yi wa al'umma wa'azi kuma suka tsaya a gaban mutanensu suna kiran su zuwa Musulunci maza ne. Shin dukkan wadannan annabawa wani bangare ne na tsarin ubangida da ake amfani da shi wajen mamaye mata?

First of all, PT undermines the very notion of nubuwwa. All anbiya who preached to humanity and stood in front of their people to call to Islam were men. Were all these anbiya part of the patriarchal structure used to dominate women?

PT kuma yana raunana al'adar malamai. Yawancin malamai a cikin al'adarmu maza ne, kuma mafi tasiri da mafi yawan rubuce-rubuce daga cikinsu maza ne. Duk waɗannan malamai, a zahiri duka, sun rungumi ra'ayoyi masu yawa waɗanda masu fafutukar mata na zamani suke ɗaukar a matsayin tsantsar wauta ta maza mai guba da nuna ƙiyayya ga mata, irin mafi muni. Shin duk waɗannan maza sun kasance cikin tsarin ubangida da aka yi amfani da shi wajen zaluntar mata?

PT also undermines the scholarly tradition. The vast majority of ulama in our tradition were men, and the most influential and prolific of them were men. And all of them, literally all of them, espoused a plethora of views that modern feminists consider toxic masculine misogynist drivel of the worst kind. Were all these men part of the patriarchal system used to oppress women?

Ina tambaya: PT yana lalata ilimin tauhidi na Musulunci da kansa? Idan tsarin mazan fari ya yi tushe haka, yana da cutarwa, yana jawo wahala da azaba ga bil'adama, me ya sa Alkur'ani bai magance shi ba? Me ya sa Annabi ﷺ bai magance shi ba? Za a iya ɗaukar Alkur'ani da Sunna a matsayin cikakken shiryarwa idan ba su kira ga kawar da wannan zalunci na tsari ba? Masu fafutukar mata suna ganin cewa tsarin mazan fari na ɗaya daga cikin manyan mugayen ƙarfi a tarihin ɗan Adam, duk da haka babu ko kalma ɗaya a Larabci da ke nufinsa. Babu ko ayar Alkur'ani ɗaya ko hadisi ɗaya da aka keɓe don faɗakar da mutane game da wannan mummunan zalunci. Me ya sa?

PT undermines Islamic theology itself. If the patriarchy is this entrenched, destructive force plaguing humanity and inflicting so much pain and suffering, why doesn’t the Quran address it? Why didn’t the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم address it? Can the Quran and Sunnah be considered complete guidance when they do not call out this systematic oppression? Feminists maintain that patriarchy is among the greatest forces of evil in all human history, yet there is not even a word for it in Arabic. Not a single verse or hadith dedicated to sounding the alarm bells, warning humanity of this terrible oppression. Why?

Waɗannan su ne abubuwan da ke biyo baya daga ra'ayoyin mata masu neman 'yanci (feminists) game da Musulunci, kuma shi ya sa mata Musulmai masu bin tafarkin feminism sukan shiga matakai na rashin gamsuwa da Musulunci, kuma da yawa daga cikinsu suna barin addinin a ƙarshe. Suna fara ne da zargin malamai na al'adarmu, suna cewa suna da ra'ayoyi marasa kyau na ubangida game da mata. Daga nan sai su ci gaba zuwa kai hari kan annabawa (ka tuna da "mai gyara Musulunci" Amina Wadud wadda ta zagi Annabi Ibrahim?). Daga nan sai su ci gaba zuwa sukar Alkur'ani. Me ya sa Allah ya yi amfani da karin magana na namiji wajen magana game da Kansa? Me ya sa Allah ya halicci Adamu, namiji, da farko? Me ya sa Allah ya saukar da aya ta 4:34? da sauransu.

These are the logical entailments feminists make with respect to Islam and that is why Muslim feminists go through phases of disillusion with Islam and many end up leaving. They start by throwing the scholars of our tradition under the bus for having “evil” patriarchal views of women. Then they graduate to attacking the prophets (remember “Muslim reformist” Amina Wadud insulting Prophet Ibrahim?). Then they graduate to criticizing the Quran. Why did Allah use masculine pronouns to refer to Himself? Why did Allah create Adam, a man, first? Why did Allah reveal verse 4:34? etc.

Wannan shi ne tashin hankali na tiyoloji da Tunanin Ubangida ya haifar. Yana kuma sa mabiya mata da yawa na Musulunci su rungumi ra'ayoyi da suka kara karkata, har ma su yi ridda. Saboda haka, wadanda ke son tabbatar da cewa Feminism da Musulunci sun dace, su fuskanci hujjar 1-2-3 da ke sama. Kuna da zabi kadan. Zan sauwake shi in bayyana muku shi:

This is the inherent theological tension created by the Patriarchal Thesis. And it leads many Muslim feminists to adopt increasingly deviant views and even apostatize. So those who want to claim that Feminism and Islam are compatible, confront the 1-2-3 argument above. You have limited options. I’ll make it easy and lay it out:

Za ka iya yin jayayya cewa mutum na iya zama mai goyon bayan 'yancin mata (feminist) ba tare da ya amince da PT ba, wato ra'ayin cewa tsarin mulkin maza (patriarchy) wanda ke danne mata yana nan tun zamanin da ba a san farkonsa ba.

1. You can either argue that one can be a feminist and not accept PT, i.e., the idea of ever-present patriarchy subjugating women since time immemorial.

2. Ko kuma za ka iya jayayya cewa PT ba ya raunana Musulunci.

2. Or you can argue that PT does not undermine Islam.

Wane ɗaya ne?

Which one is it?.

Waɗanda suke kwana da jin daɗin jefa tsarin malamai maza a ƙarƙashin bas (masu "gyara," masu "ci gaba," da kuma "Quranists," da sauransu) za su zaɓi Zaɓi na 2. Amma Musulmi na al'ada masu ingantaccen akida sun fahimci cewa ba tare da tsarin malamai maza ba, Alƙur'ani ba zai isa gare mu ba, Sunnah ba zai isa gare mu ba, Musulunci ba zai kasance an kiyaye shi ba, da sauransu. Idan ka kori malamai, ka kori Musulunci. Malamai magada ne na annabawa. Duk wanda yake son ya ce malamai sun nuna son kai na tsari a duniya baki ɗaya, kuma sun yi rashin adalci ga mata, to yana raunana ɗabi'un malamai, saboda haka yana raunana Musulunci kansa.

Those who are fine with throwing the male-dominated scholarly tradition under the bus (the “reform,” “progressive” type as well as “Quranists,” et al.) will take Option 2. But normal Muslims with correct aqida recognize that without the male-dominated scholarly tradition, the Quran would not have reached us, the Sunnah would not have reached us, Islam would not have been preserved, etc. If you throw the ulama out, you throw Islam out. The scholars are the inheritors of the prophets. Anyone who wants to claim that the scholars were systematically biased on a global scale and unjust against women is undermining the morality of the ulama and is therefore undermining Islam itself.

A cikin kowane hali, ina ganin wannan hukunci ne na hankali. Duk wanda ya sabawa hakan yana da 'yancin gabatar da amsoshi na hankali. Ku guji jawo motsin rai, zage-zage na kai hari ga mutum, da kuma kare-karen bayyanawa marasa amfani.

In any case, I maintain that this is a logical assessment. Those who disagree are free to provide logical rebuttals. Spare me the emotional appeals, ad hominem whining, and white knight histrionics.

NB: Bari in fayyace muku. Tabbas, tsarin ubangida yana wanzuwa. Addinin Musulunci addini ne na ubangida. Bisa ga Shari'ar Musulunci, zuriya tana bin layin uba, kuma tsarin zamantakewa da iyali yana da iko da ke gudana ta wurin uba da sauran shugabannin maza. Amma ubangida a ma'anar masu fafutukar mata ya bambanta da haka, domin yana dora mugunta a kan irin wadannan tsare-tsare. Da'awar masu fafutukar mata ita ce, wadannan cibiyoyin ubangida maza ne suka tsara su da mugun nufin hana muradun mata don amfanin maza. A wata ma'ana, wata mummunar kungiyar maza tana ci gaba da kulla makirci don cutar da mata masu rauni, marasa laifi da sauki a kowane mataki, kuma jaruman masu fafutukar mata sun gano wannan mummunan shiri ne kawai a cikin 'yan shekarun nan, suna gwagwarmayar kawar da shi. Eh, yana kama da hauka, domin haka yake.

NB: Let me provide some disambiguation. Of course, the patriarchy does exist. Islam is a patriarchal religion. According to Islamic Law, lineage is patrilineal and social and family structures have authority flowing through the patriarch and other males figures. But patriarchy in the feminist sense is different in that it ascribes maliciousness to these structures. The feminist claim is that these patriarchal institutions are designed by men with the evil intention to frustrate the interests of women for the benefit of men. In other words, an evil cabal of men are perpetually conspiring to sabotage poor, innocent, naive women at every turn and the brave feminists have discovered this dastardly plot only in the past few decades and are fighting the good fight to abolish it. Yeah, it sounds crazy because it is.

Yanzu ya zama abin matuƙar muhimmanci ga malamai da liman na Musulunci su karyata wannan Ka'idar Ubangidan Maza (Patriarchy Thesis) kafin wata sabuwar tsara ta Musulmi ta faɗa cikin tasirinta. Akwai hanyoyi da dama na yin haka. Da farko, ya kamata a yarda cewa, eh, akwai maza da ke cin zarafin mata, kuma akwai manyan cibiyoyi, ciki har da wasu cibiyoyin addini, waɗanda ke wulakanta mata da kwace haƙƙoƙinsu. Ba za a iya yin shiru game da wannan ba. Cin zarafin iyali (na jiki da na zuciya), mu'amala da mata kamar shara, hana mata duk wani tasiri a gidajensu da al'ummominsu, yin watsi da cin zarafin jima'i, da sauransu. Waɗannan matsaloli ne da ya kamata a magance su a dukkan al'ummomin duniya. Amma shin waɗannan matsalolin sun samo asali ne daga wani babban tsari mara mafita na maza da ke aiki don ci gaba da danne mata? Ko kuwa matsaloli ne da ke tasowa saboda wasu mutane masu zalunci, son kai, jahilci, da mugunta waɗanda kawai suka zama maza (ko ma mata)?

It has become absolutely critical for Muslim intellectuals and imams to debunk this Patriarchy Thesis before another generation of Muslims falls under the spell. There are many ways to do this. First of all, one should acknowledge that, yes, there are men who abuse women and there are larger institutions, including some religious institutions, that mistreat women and usurp their rights. This cannot be ignored—domestic abuse (physical and emotional), treating women like garbage, preventing women from having any influence on their household and their larger communities, overlooking sexual abuse, etc. These are all problems that need to be addressed in all societies of the world. But do these problems stem from a large, inescapable system of men working to keep women subjugated? Or are these problems that arise due to certain abusive, selfish, ignorant, evil people that happen to be men (or even women)