Men’s lack of paternity certainty is a fundamental sex inequality. Modern DNA testing, if applied systematically, could provide gender equality in knowledge of biological offspring. The social construction of legal paternity has defied reason, common sense, and justice. That indicates men’s subordinate social and political position with respect to vital aspects of ordinary life.
A man rescuing an imprisoned damsel is a gendered romance convention. The 16th century author Straparola progressively transgressed gender and romance. … Read the post romance of rescuing damsel imprisoned in tower, transgressed
In Chaucer’s Miller’s Tale, Alisoun cuckolded John, who later suffered a concussion and broken arm. Absolon rammed a hot plow blade into Nicholas’s ass. … Read the post Chaucer, Miller’s Tale: ass-reaming theme of man’s inhumanity to man
Cuckolding under the fundamental gender inequality devalues fatherhood relative to motherhood. Medieval poetry of Walahfrid and Alcuin upheld fatherhood. … Read the post motherhood, fatherhood, and fundamental gender inequality
In the medieval Latin beast epic Ecbasis captivi, a monk-calf’s gynocentric yearning for his mother’s breasts nearly gets him eaten by a wolf. … Read the post Ecbasis captivi: no escape for man from gynocentric yearnings
Men today are encouraged to accept being cuckolded by their wives. Medieval Latin literature, in contrast, ridiculed cuckolds as pathetic, stupid men. … Read the post pathetic stupidity of cuckolds described in medieval Latin literature