The Gender Knot: Unravelling Our Patriarchichal Legacy

"One of the foremost contributors to our understanding of gender, Allan Johnson has an exceptional grasp of the costs of patriarchy for both women and men. The Gender Knot illuminates vast areas of previously unexamined and unnamed effects of ‘power over’ social systems and provides a beacon of hope and a message of courage. This book is brilliant and life-changing. Anyone who wants to rekindle a belief in the possibility of a more just and equitable world should read it. Anyone who wants to participate in creating urgently needed social change must read it."
—Judith V Jordan, Ph.D., Director of the Jean Baker Miller Training Institute, Wellesley Centers for Women, and Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School

The Gender Knot, Allan Johnson's response to the pain and confusion that men and women experience by living with gender inequality, explains what patriarchy is and is not, how it works, and what gets in the way of understanding and doing something about it. Johnson's simple yet powerful approach avoids the paralyzing trap of guilt, blame, anger, and defensive denial that often results from conversations about gender.

This edition features:

Updated references, data, resources, and examples, especially in relation to issues of sexual orientation and gender identity

A glossary of terms

A new chapter—"What Changes and What Does Not: Manhood and Violence"—that provides an extended analysis of both the causes and social invisibility of men's violence.