The Patriarchy Phrasebook Patriarchy: ‘He loved women’ Translation: ‘He fked a lot of women’ Patriarchy: ‘You’re a feminazi/ b###h/ dyke/ delusional woman/ w@##e/ desperate for a f@#k’ Translation: ‘I am threatened by your argument and am scared of you and it’ Patriarchy: ‘Smile, love!’ Translation: ‘Why are you not deferential to my masculinity?’ Patriarchy: ‘I’m not being racist/ sexist/ hetrosexist/ agist, but…’ Translation: ‘I’m about to say something racist/ sexist/ hetrosexist/ agist and I don’t want to be called on it’ Patriarchy: ‘feminists are humourless’ Translation: ‘feminists don’t laugh at my jokes about rape and violence’ Patriarchy: ‘you’re delusional’ Translation: ‘I can’t attack your argument, so I’ll have to attack you’ Patriarchy: ‘if we didn’t have prostitution/ pornography there’d be more rape’ Translation: ‘if we don’t get exactly what we want, you’ll pay for it’ Patriarchy: ‘you’re too emotional’ Translation: ‘this issue only hurts women, so why get upset?’ Patriarchy: ‘it’s natural’ Translation: ‘if I say it enough times, that makes it true!