Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden from Us

Tubbs, Anna Malaika. Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden from Us. 2025. 384p. ISBN 9781250876690

The American patriarchy has structured society to ensure its survival and undermine everyone else in what it perceives to be a zero-sum game. Erased offers a groundbreaking analysis of American patriarchy, arguing that the nation's gendered hierarchy is uniquely intertwined with a flawed binary logic that is also fundamentally tied to whiteness and racial supremacy. This constructed hierarchy has become deeply embedded in the United States over time, rendering it largely invisible along with the contributions and experiences of those it oppresses. Erased contends that this system of patriarchy has intentionally concealed the very tools needed for its dismantling.

Through a comprehensive examination spanning from the founding fathers to contemporary issues like the maternal health crisis and the absence of the ERA, Erased weaves together academic research, the narratives of past and present freedom fighters, and her own personal insights. It shifts the historical focus to center the experiences of those marginalized by American patriarchy, revealing what has been systematically overlooked. Ultimately, Erased empowers readers by reminding them that the means to dismantle this oppressive system – including intuition, courage, ancient wisdom, and collective power – remain accessible.

Fans of women's history and those intrigued by the history behind our current social policies will appreciate this thorough and well-researched book.