Cafe Philo: patriarchy?

QUESTIONS

What is "the patriarchy"?

Is it true that "the patriarchy" conspires to sustain inequalities faced by women (eg under-representation of female executives, the gender pay-gap and the domestic violence faced by women)? How does it operate, how does it do this?

If the patriarchy is ‘in charge’, why are males over-represented relative to women in conscription (100%), occupational deaths (~85% in Australia 2023), incarceration (~93%), homicide victims (85% -- mostly at the hands of men as it happens), death by suicide (75% in 2023), etc. Why is their longevity less? Why do they act to save women and children first - eg 75% of female passengers survived the Titanic sinking vs only 20% of males?

Are men who have helped champion women's rights (eg John Stuart Mill) 'traitors' to the patriarchy?

Do men and women each have differentiated forms of power over the other sex/gender?

Are claims about "the patriarchy" a conspiracy theory? One answer is yes, it is a theory that men are conspiring to suppress/oppress women. But another is that claims about patriarchy are false and repeated as a form of 'gas-lighting' in an effort to manipulate people (especially men?) to question their own sense of reality.

THOUGHT-STARTERS

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/angela-saini-patriarchy-matriarchy-gender-equality
(yes, you have to provide an email, but you can 'block' emails later!)
or https://archive.md/oOeWs (no email required)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriarchy

https://www.theegalitarian.co.uk/post/how-the-patriarchy-hurts-men-feminism-is-for-everyone