The pressure of the patriarchy, with Dr. Rebekah Shallcross

In this episode, Dr Rebekah Shallcross and I tackle some big questions – what is the antidote to the oppression of womxn, what is a true ‘choice’ vs what we do because of hitting upon the barriers set up by white heteronormative patriarchy, and how does the pressure of the patriarchy impact womxn’s mental health? Although a tough topic, we also bring some light and humour to this, considering how to break the 'good girl' narrative through allowing ourselves the permission to be non-productive and rest. Dr Rebekah Shallcross, or Bekah, is a qualified Clinical Psychologist, Researcher and Feminist.  In 2020, she founded The Feminist Therapy Centre (FTC) which aims to offer an alternative to main stream mental health practice that is often based from the viewpoints of a white, male, heteronormative majority that dominates the highest positions of power within society, including the field of psychology. Through her work, Bekah uses a Feminist Therapy theoretical perspective that aims to liberate and empower those engaging with the service at both a personal and social level, both within and outside the therapy setting. 3:45 Why feminism and psychology? 7:35 The antidote to oppression is recognising it 8:05 Internalised patriarchy 9:12 Why the white heteronormative patriarchy is a problem for everyone 10:45 Patriarchy is even bad for men 13:25 Can choice exist when oppression creates so many barriers? 13:55 True choice comes without expectations 14:41 How flexible is flexible working? 18:08 The pressures modern women face 19:23 Structural inequalities in parental leave 20:20 A solution to the problems of shared parental leave 21:15 Becoming the default parent - 'shefault' 25:55 How the coronavirus pandemic has affected women 28:37 Why women shouldn’t need to teach feminism to men 32:20 Avoiding the emotional labour of education 36:05 You don’t always have to be productive 41:29 Bekah’s takeaway for you   Bekah recommended Bear Hebert and Dr. Sarah Coxon during our conversation.   The Feminist Therapy Centre Instagram - @dr_bekah_shallcross   Find my downloadable resource 'Calm the overwhelm' at www.thethomasconnection.co.uk/calm This episode was edited by Emily Crosby Media.