Age Quote by Gerda Lerner
“The system of patriarchy is a historic construct; it has a beginning; it will have an end. Its time seems to have nearly run its course—it no longer serves the needs of men or women and in its inextricable linkage to militarism, hierarchy, and racism it threatens the very existence of life on earth. What will come after, what kind of structure will be the foundation for alternate forms of social organization we cannot yet know. We are living in an age of unprecedented transformation. We are in the process of becoming.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Women's History Month Lecture, 1995
Patriarchy is a historically constructed system that is ending; its ties to militarism, hierarchy, and racism endanger life, prompting a need for new social structures.
In simple terms: Patriarchy will end; new systems needed.
Key Takeaway
Support and design equitable, sustainable alternatives.
Themes
gender equality
systemic change
environmental risk
social transformation
future societies
Mood
critical
optimistic
Type
theoretical
activist
When to use this quote
- policy reform
- education curricula
- community organizing
Key Concepts
historical analysis
intersectionality
social theory
Questions to Reflect On
- What principles should guide new social structures?
- How can we mitigate backlash during transformation?
A Different Perspective
Transition periods can be unstable and resistance is likely.
![“Men develop ideas and systems of explanation by absorbing past knowledge and critiquing and superseding it. Women, ignorant of their own history [do] not know what women before them had thought and taught. So generation after generation, they [struggle] for insights others had already had before…” quote by Gerda Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/01f/gerda-lerner-28685_constant_men-develop-ideas-and-systems-of-explana_1757578.jpg)
