An oppressive , patriarchal society eagerly feasts on the violent inequality of its citizens ; indeed , its sole sustenance and nourishment is derived from it. That being said it would logically follow that this inequality need be disguised , nuanced , and complex to elude enemies and ensure max imum survival . What seems to be lac k ing in much discourse on sexism is how a patriarchal society affects men . Just li k e racism and classism , the rec ipients of inequality are not exclusively impacted. Yes , men hold the dominant positions of power in America and are the apparent beneficiaries of a sexist system. In reality the system is the only part of the mechanism that truly benefits because it perpetuates its own existence. In this patriarchal society men overwhelmingly benefit economically and socially , but on an existential level they are deprived. When men are denied access and the right to express their own feelings we strip them of ownership to t