Well posed. There are many layers to the onion that is Patriarchy.

I was thinking Patriarchy like the LDS or Southern Baptists or some versions of Islam. Almost every fundamentalist religion is Patriarchic. Not the American Patriarchic Society where legally women have equal rights but society withholds full equality. So those are the middle layer and the top layer and the bottom layer is male dominated households and families.

Some women submit to Patriarchy willingly and even happily. Other women not so happily but are compliant. So between those women and all the Patriarchic males, the Patriarchy has overwhelming numbers to prevent full equality for women regardless of the law.

Women might have a prayer if it was not a religious thing.

TEK