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stag's locked horns to the clashing spears of the tournament。
It is earnestly hoped that no reader will take offence at the
necessarily frequent； reference to these essential features of maleness。
In the many books about women it is； naturally； their femaleness that
has been studied and enlarged upon。 And though women； after thousands
of years of such discussion； have become a little restive under the
constant use of the word female： men； as rational beings； should not
object to an analogous studyat least not for some timea few
centuries or so。
How； then； do we find these masculine tendencies； desire； combat and
self…expression； affect the home and family when given too much power？
First comes the effect in the preliminary work of selection。 One of the
most uplifting forces of nature is that of sex selection。 The males；
numerous； varied； pouring a flood of energy into wide modifications；
compete for the female； and she selects the victor； this securing to the
race the new improvements。
In forming the proprietary family there is no such competition； no such
selection。 The man； by violence or by purchase； does the choosinghe
selects the kind of woman that pleases him。 Nature did not intend him
to select； he is not good at it。 Neither was the female intended to
competeshe is not good at it。
If there is a race between males for a matethe swiftest gets her
first； but if one male is chasing a number of females he gets the
slowest first。 The one method improves our speed： the other does not。
If males struggle and fight with one another for a mate； the strongest
secures her； if the male struggles and fights with the female（a
peculiar and unnatural horror； known only among human beings） he most
readily secures the weakest。 The one method improves our strengththe
other does not。
When women became the property of men； sold and bartered； 〃given away〃
by their paternal owner to their marital owner； they lost this
prerogative of the female； this primal duty of selection。 The males
were no longer improved by their natural competition for the female； and
the females were not improved； because the male did not select for
points of racial superiority； but for such qualities as pleased him。
There is a locality in northern Africa； where young girls are
deliberately fed with a certain oily seed； to make them fat；that they
may be the more readily married；as the men like fat wives。 Among
certain more savage African tribes the chief's wives are prepared for
him by being kept in small dark huts and fed on 〃mealies' and molasses；
precisely as a Strasbourg goose is fattened for the gourmand。 Now
fatness is not a desirable race characteristic； it does not add to the
woman's happiness or efficiency； or to the child's； it is merely an
accessory pleasant to the master； his attitude being much as the amorous
monad ecstatically puts it； in Sill's quaint poem； 〃Five Lives；〃
〃O the little female monad's lips！
O the little female monad's eyes！
O the little； little； female； female monad！〃
This ultra littleness and ultra femaleness has been demanded and
produced by our Androcentric Culture。
Following this； and part of it； comes the effect on motherhood。 This
function was the original and legitimate base of family life； and its
ample sustaining power throughout the long early period of 〃the
mother…right；〃 or as we call it； the matriarchate； the father being her
assistant in the great work。 The patriarchate； with its proprietary
family； changed this altogether； the woman； as the property of the man
was considered first and foremost as a means of pleasure to him； and
while she was still valued as a mother； it was in a tributary capacity。
Her children were now his； his property； as she was； the whole enginery
of the family was turned from its true use to this new one； hitherto
unknown； the service of the adult male。
To this day we are living under the influence of the proprietary family。
The duty of the wife is held to involve man…service as well as
child…service； and indeed far more； as the duty of the wife to the
husband quite transcends the duty of the mother to the child。
See for instance the English wife staying with her husband in India and
sending the children home to be brought up； because India is bad for
children。 See our common law that the man decides the place of
residence； if the wife refuses to go with him to howsoever unfit a place
for her and for the little ones； such refusal on her part constitutes
〃desertion〃 and is ground for divorce。
See again the idea that the wife must remain with the husband though a
drunkard； or diseased； regardless of the sin against the child involved
in such a relation。 Public feeling on these matters is indeed changing；
but as a whole the ideals of the man…made family still obtain。
The effect of this on the woman has been inevitably to weaken and
overshadow her sense of the real purpose of the family； of the
relentless responsibilities of her duty as a mother。 She is first
taught duty to her parents； with heavy religious sanction； and then duty
to her husband； similarly buttressed； but her duty to her children has
been left to instinct。 She is not taught in girlhood as to her
preeminent power and duty as a mother； her young ideals are all of
devotion to the lover and husband： with only the vaguest sense of
results。
The young girl is reared in what we call 〃innocence；〃 poetically
described as 〃bloom；〃 and this condition is held one of her chief
〃charms。〃 The requisite is wholly androcentric。 This 〃innocence〃 does
not enable her to choose a husband wisely； she does not even know the
dangers that possibly confront her。 We vaguely imagine that her father
or brother； who do know； will protect her。 Unfortunately the father and
brother； under our current 〃double standard〃 of morality do not judge
the applicants as she would if she knew the nature of their offenses。
Furthermore； if her heart is set on one of them； no amount of general
advice and opposition serves to prevent her marrying him。 〃I love him！〃
she says； sublimely。 〃I do not care what he has done。 I will forgive
him。 I will save him！〃
This state of mind serves to forward the interests of the lover； but is
of no advantage to the children。 We have magnified the duties of the
wife； and minified the duties of the mother； and this is inevitable in a
family relation every law and custom of which is arranged from the
masculine viewpoint。
From this same viewpoint； equally essential to the proprietary family；
comes the requirement that the woman shall serve the man。 Her service
is not that of the associate and equal； as when she joins him in his
business。 It is not that of a beneficial combination； as when she
practices another business and they share the profits； it is not even
that of the specialist； as the service of a tailor or barber； it is
personal servicethe work of a servant。
In large generalization； the women of the world cook and wash； sweep and
dust； sew and mend； for the men。
We are so accustomed to this relation； have held it for so long to be
the 〃natural〃 relation； that it is difficul