I believe ties are the strongest symbol of the stranglehold that patriarchy has on men. Many people are under the misguided impression that patriarchy is a power that only affects women. Men are also strongly oppressed by the patriarchal system, just in different ways. I strongly recommend reading at least part of (it’s a feckin’ long book) Stiffed by Susan Faludi.

Sometimes I lament the lack of understanding some feminists (both female and male) have towards men and their behaviour within the patriarchal system. I get particularly wound up when men do attempt to educate and support themselves about how they are affected by issues of gender and they are not supported in doing so. I have experienced a number of occasions where women have tried to interfere and dictate processes for men trying to organise themselves against gender oppression. And I have had to seriously wonder if they get it at all.

How do you think women would react if men tried to tell them how to run a women’s only group? Well, we know because it happens all the time, the women involved, rightly, get quite pissed off. So how is it different when men organise? What gives women the right to dictate their processes?

I’m not saying there should be no dialogue; quite the opposite in fact. I think it’s imperative there is dialogue and collaboration between men and women organising on issues of gender. I certainly think that some of the angry men’s rights groups who predominantly organise around fathers rights issues, for example, could do with some dialogue with feminists, so there could be an understanding that they’re fighting the same fight.

Returning to the topic of this post…

I think that part of the reason the ‘men in suits’ are able to act without any apparent compassion for other human beings, or the planet on which we depend on for life, has a lot to do with a lack of oxygen flow to the brain.

The problem?

The tie.

The Slave tie has been sold but the other two are for sale. I will get around to putting them online soon otherwise you can contact me directly. And I have a few more ties left to stitch. If you have any suggestions, please comment below.

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