Robert_Panico
This poem reflects the patriarchal system prevalent in South Italy, where people engage in a cyclical search for explanations regarding male youth crime and aggressive behavior. This often results in the marginalization of mothers, who are blamed for their inability to properly educate their challenging sons.
The title "Walking with the Patriarchy" aims to underscore how this perspective places blame on both mothers, for supposedly failing to educate their difficult sons, and men, for perpetrating domestic violence and preventing both from trusting support and social services. "Walking with the Patriarchy" recognise that these dynamics require investigation from a broader viewpoint.
This broader perspective highlights a system in which individuals are trapped. Those from disadvantaged backgrounds are compelled to portray well-being and positivity, concealing their true emotional state. They only feel free to unmask and express it within the familial context (men). Conversely, this system forces close relatives (partners and teenagers) to realize that societal expectations are unrealistic and often oppressive. Consequently, they feel trapped and don't ask for help.
This perspective is shaped by my personal experiences, professional practice, and studies. Through this lens, I've come to perceive those whom I once held accountable for their inhuman behaviour as individual victims of inequalities and oppression.