Er... when have I ever referred to such a power? Could you quote it, please? Because from where I'm standing, this seems like a complete non sequitor.
When I asked for an example of a social more that oppressed women and wasn't opposed by government and the media (two institutions that are ostensibly controlled by men) you both refused to do it and also said that my question didn't account for the "totality of oppression."
If men are using their power as politicians, controllers of media and corperate heads to avoid or suppress issues that women have, to the benefit of men's issues... either by enacting anti-woman laws, presenting anti-woman information or ignoring the female market, then why can't you come up with an example that satisfies my initial challenge? There should be, literally, hundreds of examples of men abusing their power to ignore and suppress women's issues enshrined in law and ignored by the media. (Not issues like abortion and birth control, which women themselves are divided on. Thus when a male politician takes a side in such issues, he's siding with one group or another of WOMEN. Therefore, an anti-abortion politican is reflecting the views of women just as much as a pro-abortion politician.)
If the "totality of oppression" does not include men's political power, their media control or their corperate influence... then what, *is* it?
There are some ways that men, on average, are more powerful than women, on average, after all other factors (class, race, etc) are held equal. Perhaps more importantly, it's also true that our society tends to reserve most positions of great power for men.
Again, you were unable to come up with an example of anti-woman bias that was enshrined in law, unenforced by a majority of people or ignored by the media. (I would also add that it's unlikely you're going to come up with an example of a corperation ignoring a female need or market.)
Therefore the power that men weild, on average, is weilded for the benefit of women.
Now we're left with the "totality of oppression" you mentioned before. Again, since you were unable to come up with an example of men using their political, media, or corperate power to oppress women (outside of issues that women don't agree upon themselves)... then what *other* power is left for men to use against women?
What constitutes this "totality of oppression?"
