Book Club 15: The Creation of Patriarchy

Co-hosted by Janine & Laura + rotating community co-hosts

Our January 2027 book club pick is The Creation of Patriarchy by Gerda Lerner.

About this book: A major new work by a leading historian and pioneer in women's studies, The Creation of Patriarchy is a radical reconceptualization of Western civilization that makes gender central to its analysis. Gerda Lerner argues that male dominance over women is not "natural" or biological, but the product of a historical development begun in the second millennium B.C. in the Ancient Near East. As patriarchy as a system of organizing society was established historically, she contends, it can also be ended by the historical process.

Focusing on the contradiction between women's central role in creating society and their marginality in the meaning-giving process of definition and interpretation, Lerner explores such fascinating questions as: What can account for women's exclusion from the historical process? What could explain the long delay—more than 3,500 years—in women's coming to consciousness of their own subordinate position? She goes back to the cultures of the earliest known civilizations—those of the ancient Near East—to discover the origins of the major gender metaphors of Western civilization. Using historical, literary, archaeological, and artistic evidence, she then traces the development of these ideas, symbols, and metaphors and their incorporation into Western civilization as the basis of patriarchal gender relations.
- from Goodreads

🤷‍♀️ Didn’t finish the book? Haven’t started? Only here for feminist hot takes, collective unlearning, and good vibes? Perfect. We’re a no-pressure, no-expectations book club. Come exactly as you are.

📍 Where: Books Books Books, Lausanne

⏰ When: Thursday, June 25th at 18:30
(about 1.5 hours + optional post-book-club hangout!)

You can grab the book through our lovely host BooksBooksBooks, or listen to the audiobook if that feels more accessible right now.

Sign up for our newsletter to know which parts we’re focusing on — or simply show up and wing it. Bring your thoughts, your questions, your complicated feelings about mirrors, magazines, and the male gaze. We can’t wait to unpack this one together 💜📚✨

What to Expect

A 90-minute guided conversation led by Laura, Janine, and a rotating community co-host
A warm, welcoming, non-judgmental space
Thoughtful discussion, honest sharing, and room for complexity
A mix of regulars and first-timers — everyone truly is welcome
Time afterward to browse, chat, and connect

Who This Is For

Anyone who wants to:

read more feminist books,
have meaningful conversations,
meet new people in Lausanne,
interrogate beauty, power, capitalism, and self-worth,
or sit with thoughtful humans for an hour and a half (in English).

RSVP Etiquette

Space is limited. Please adjust your RSVP if your plans change so someone else can join.

We’re looking forward to reading feminist books with you!

Your co-hosts,
Janine & Laura