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Read about the forgotten occult origins of the Suffragette movement, the coalition of women behind the Declaration of Sentiments and The Woman’s Bible of the Suffragettes and other radical feminists of the period.
Our mission is to advocate for the repeal of outdated alimony and custody laws that no longer reflect contemporary societal values.
Women Going Our Way (WGOW) is dedicated to restoring and upholding the time-honoured patriarchal principles that have historically guided family structures and legal systems. We believe in the fundamental role of the father as the primary authority within the family unit, reflecting values deeply rooted in historical precedents and cultural traditions. Our mission is to reinstate these principles in contemporary family law to ensure that the foundational stability and authority of the traditional family are preserved.
The destabilisation of society in the West due to prevailing divorce and maternal custody laws is both profound and alarming. Fathers, once central pillars of stability and guidance in their children’s lives, are being systematically sidelined by legal frameworks that overwhelmingly favour maternal custody.
This shift has not only deprived countless children of the critical influence of their fathers but has also eroded the fundamental structure of the family unit. The consequences are stark: increasing fatherlessness, fragmented family dynamics, and a growing societal disarray marked by diminished paternal authority and coherence.
This imbalance is more than a legal issue; it represents a fundamental betrayal of the values that sustain a healthy and cohesive society. To restore stability, we must reaffirm the role of fathers as primary custodians and decision-makers, honouring their irreplaceable contribution to nurturing well-rounded and resilient children.
Our Goals
- Restoration of Patriarchal Custody Authority:
- We seek to reform current custody laws to restore primary authority to fathers in family disputes, reinforcing the father’s traditional role as the head of the household. We aim to establish legal presumptions that prioritise the father’s custody rights, as a firm incorruptible principle.
- Promotion of Traditional Family Roles:
- We advocate for a return to traditional family roles, emphasising the father’s role as the principal decision-maker and provider. This goal includes legislative reforms and public policies that reflect and support these roles within modern family structures.
- Legal and Cultural Reforms:
- We are committed to enacting legal reforms that embed patriarchal values into family law. This includes revising statutes and regulations to align with the principles of paternal authority and responsibility.
- Educational Outreach and Advocacy:
- Our organisation is dedicated to educating the public and policymakers about the benefits of restoring patriarchal authority in family law. We aim to engage in advocacy efforts that highlight the historical and cultural significance of these principles.
Core Principles
- Historical Precedent:
- WGOW is guided by historical precedents under principles that provide a robust foundation for contemporary family law. We draw upon past cultures and institutions that celebrated the role of the father as a central figure in family governance.
- Cultural Continuity:
- We believe in the preservation of cultural and historical values that have shaped our understanding of family dynamics. Our mission is to maintain continuity with these values to ensure stability and coherence in family structures.
- Authority and Responsibility:
- Central to our mission is the belief that authority within the family should reside with the father. This principle is rooted in the understanding that paternal authority fosters discipline, stability, and effective child-rearing.
Historical and Cultural Precedent
- Roman Pater Familias:
- In the purest instantiation of this principle, the concept of pater familias in ancient Rome provides a critical historical foundation for our mission. Under Roman law, the pater familias (Father of the Household) held supreme authority over the household, including the power to make legal decisions, manage family property, determine family matters, and even over life and death (vitae necisque potestas) with the right to execute his free family members, including children and a daughter or a wife over whom he held manus, who would be considered legally part of her husband’s household, effectively like a daughter (filiae loco). The father held sacerdotal duties and represented the ancestral genius and the gods to their wives and children, with absolute and incorruptible authority that largely went uncontested, except in cases where the sanctity of the family hierarchy itself was perverted (incestuous marriage, compelling a daughter into prostitution, selling a firstborn son, abandoning a descendant, etc.). This authority persisted for life, even after the marriage of a woman, terminating only in the death of the father or if the woman was adopted by the husband in a manus marriage (common among aristocrats).
This model exemplified the patriarchal ideal of authority within the family, and was reflected in the state itself in the importance of aristocratic households as representatives of the patres (Founding Fathers), and in the Emperor himself as pater patriae (Founding Father of the City). Following the influence of Greek hero worship cults, this emphasised their collective role as the founding fathers of patriotism and as the heroic ancestors and demigods to have consecrated the sacred boundaries of the Roman City, to demonstrate how paternal authority contributes to societal order and stability.
- In the purest instantiation of this principle, the concept of pater familias in ancient Rome provides a critical historical foundation for our mission. Under Roman law, the pater familias (Father of the Household) held supreme authority over the household, including the power to make legal decisions, manage family property, determine family matters, and even over life and death (vitae necisque potestas) with the right to execute his free family members, including children and a daughter or a wife over whom he held manus, who would be considered legally part of her husband’s household, effectively like a daughter (filiae loco). The father held sacerdotal duties and represented the ancestral genius and the gods to their wives and children, with absolute and incorruptible authority that largely went uncontested, except in cases where the sanctity of the family hierarchy itself was perverted (incestuous marriage, compelling a daughter into prostitution, selling a firstborn son, abandoning a descendant, etc.). This authority persisted for life, even after the marriage of a woman, terminating only in the death of the father or if the woman was adopted by the husband in a manus marriage (common among aristocrats).
- Biblical Traditions:
- Biblical tradition offers several examples of patriarchal authority, particularly in the Old Testament. Figures such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are depicted as the heads of their families with significant authority over their household and descendants. Abraham’s role as the patriarch involved making critical decisions about family matters and guiding his family in spiritual and moral aspects. This tradition reinforced the idea that patriarchal leadership was divinely sanctioned and integral to the religious and social fabric of the community.
- Medieval European Practices:
- In medieval Europe, feudal society was characterised by a strict hierarchical structure where male authority was predominant. The feudal system emphasised the role of the Lord or patriarch of a manor, who wielded substantial power over his vassals and the people living on his lands. Within the household, the father was the ultimate authority, managing both the family’s economic resources and its social obligations. This patriarchal structure was reflected in legal codes and social practices, in reinforcing male dominance in both public and private spheres.
- Confucianism in East Asian Cultures:
- Confucianism, which has deeply influenced East Asian cultures such as those in China, Korea, and Japan, promotes a patriarchal family structure. Confucian teachings emphasise filial piety and respect for the male head of the household, who is considered the primary authority figure within the family. The father’s role as the leader and moral guide is central to maintaining harmony and order in the family. Confucian ideals have historically shaped family laws and social expectations, ensuring that patriarchal authority was a key component of societal organisation.
- Ancient Greek Society
- Ancient Greek society, particularly in Athens, had a patriarchal structure where the male head of the household held authority. The concept of kyrios (guardian) defined the male guardian’s role in overseeing the household and representing the family in public matters. The patriarch’s authority extended over all family members, including his wife and children, reflecting fidelity to the principle of male dominance in both domestic and civic life.
- Islamic Tradition: The Role of the Father
- In Islamic cultures, the role of the father as the head of the family is supported by religious teachings and legal practices. Islamic law, or Sharia, designates the father as the primary provider and protector of the family. This role includes making decisions related to family welfare, financial support, and educational choices. The patriarchal nature of this tradition is reinforced by both religious texts and cultural practices, emphasising the father’s central role in family governance and his responsibilities towards his dependents.
WGOW is committed to restoring patriarchal principles to contemporary family law and practice. By invoking the historical and cultural precedents that celebrate paternal authority, we aim to reinforce the traditional family structure and uphold the values that have long been integral to societal stability. We invite all who share our vision to join us in advocating for a return to these time-honoured principles, ensuring that the authority and responsibility of fathers remain central to family life.
Our Proposals
- Restoration of Custody Authority to Fathers:
- We advocate for a legal framework that institutes primary custody rights to fathers, in the event of divorce or separation, as an essential and incorruptible principle. This restoration reflects the traditional institution of primogeniture and the traditional view of fathers as the head of the family and central to child-rearing, to provide a balanced approach to custody decisions centred on the family.
- Preservation of Traditional Family Roles:
- Support for policies that reinforce traditional family roles, emphasising the father’s role as the primary decision-maker and provider. This approach is rooted in historical practices that have long been recognised as effective in maintaining family stability.
- Legal Reforms to Reflect Patriarchal Values:
- We propose legislative changes that codify the patriarchal perspective on custody arrangements. This includes revising current custody laws to ensure that, in disputes, the default presumption is in favour of awarding primary custody to fathers unless otherwise proven.
- Support for Fathers’ Rights:
- Implement measures to strengthen the legal rights of fathers, including enhanced support for fathers in custody battles and increased recognition of their role as the head of the household.
- Lobbying Efforts:
- Identify key legislators who may be sympathetic to patriarchal order, and engage in lobbying efforts to introduce bills aimed at repealing or reforming alimony and custody laws.
- Propose alternative legislation that reflects patriarchal principles, which would replace traditional alimony and custody arrangements with solutions that are centred on the patriarchal order.
- Legal Challenges:
- We support legal challenges to existing alimony and custody laws, and argue that they violate principles of patriarchal leadership. Principled law-counsellors might seek to bring cases to higher courts in an effort to set legal precedents that align with their goals.
Alimony laws are outdated remnants of a time when gender roles were strictly defined, and women had limited economic opportunities. Modern employment equality and the availability of dual incomes make long-term alimony unnecessary and financially burdensome. Historically, the role of the father as the primary authority figure within the family unit has been well-established. However, recent shifts in family law have led to a system that disproportionately favours mothers in custody disputes. We assert that this shift disrupts the traditional family dynamic and neglects the critical role fathers play in providing stability and guidance in child-development.