Gender Stories

Patriarchal gender stories interfere in men's and women's relationships. They support men (particularly white men) in a position of power and privilege in regard to women. The narrative therapist's task in regard to patriarchal stories is to highlight the gender roles that have developed from them, to ask questions to examine them and their implications more closely, and to create a context where people can begin to inhabit stories that offer more choice about their roles as men and women. The authors offer ideas about how to notice patriarchal stories and their influence, to recognize that other stories are possible, and to find collaborative, non-controlling ways of introducing conversation in this domain.