Pussy
Men are afraid of women. In Ancient Greece virgin women were considered wild and were only tamed through marriage. This is also reflected in the Greek goddesses, particularly Artemis and Athena. Both are virgin goddess, immune to the persuasion of Aphrodite and rather masculine in their pursuits. Artemis the protector of young animals, yet the patron of hunters and the protector of wild spaces, usually wooded areas. Athena, the patron of her Polis, patron of young heroes and often dressed with helmet, shield, and spear. The Greeks needed these goddesses to remain virgins so that they could remain "wild".
In the Amazon basin tribes practiced a feast celebration that centered around clitordectomy of marriageable girls. This surgery was based upon their religious belief that women once had penises and ruled the world and were wild. Men, with their culture and domesticity and agriculture now rule and the clitoris was viewed as a vestigial penis. These people also believed that women, with their vestigial penises and their ability to give birth made them "over-sexed" and so, in order to tame the young brides-to-be the clitoris had to be removed. Here again is this sense that women are "wild" and must be tamed, cultured by men.
In many other societies women are viewed as evil or driving men to evil. Christianity is a great example. Eve convinces Adam to eat the forbidden fruit and brings about the fall of the first man and all humans. Since then it is women who are controlled sexually and must be obedient and kept, and when they go against this it is they that are accused of driving men to lust as if the man were bewitched. This idea that women must be kept "pure" and that they simultaneously contain magic powers of seduction over men is found in many societies ranging from ancient to modern and usually the society tries to invoke restrictions using religion. A more modern example or at least extreme example would be Islamic or Christian militants who impose strict dress codes for women and strict separation of men and women's roles.
Fear of women seems very old and is often used to repress them. The sad part is, many women also buy into it.
In the Amazon basin tribes practiced a feast celebration that centered around clitordectomy of marriageable girls. This surgery was based upon their religious belief that women once had penises and ruled the world and were wild. Men, with their culture and domesticity and agriculture now rule and the clitoris was viewed as a vestigial penis. These people also believed that women, with their vestigial penises and their ability to give birth made them "over-sexed" and so, in order to tame the young brides-to-be the clitoris had to be removed. Here again is this sense that women are "wild" and must be tamed, cultured by men.
In many other societies women are viewed as evil or driving men to evil. Christianity is a great example. Eve convinces Adam to eat the forbidden fruit and brings about the fall of the first man and all humans. Since then it is women who are controlled sexually and must be obedient and kept, and when they go against this it is they that are accused of driving men to lust as if the man were bewitched. This idea that women must be kept "pure" and that they simultaneously contain magic powers of seduction over men is found in many societies ranging from ancient to modern and usually the society tries to invoke restrictions using religion. A more modern example or at least extreme example would be Islamic or Christian militants who impose strict dress codes for women and strict separation of men and women's roles.
Fear of women seems very old and is often used to repress them. The sad part is, many women also buy into it.