only affirm that some of the southeastern Nations had a matrilineal community, and that it makes too much sense for a "civilized" culture to adopt. My heritage is Cherokee, Choctaw, Comanche and Irish, but because of the nature of a matrilineal society, if you ask me what I am, I will simply say Cherokee. In this type of society, the women are the heads of the families, and the heads of clans (an "extended" family, to simplify). The family tree is traced through the women. Typically, several generations of a family live together. There is no such thing as an orphan, an aunt or grandmother would take the child as her own. There is no such thing as homelessness. Everyday tasks are divided equally among the physically able. The elderly are greatly respected and cared for as such.

This is just a thumbnail sketch. Interesting that this should be mentioned, I've long thought about writing more in depth about it.

Distrust anyone who wants to teach you something.

do write more in depth about it. I would love to learn about the culture of Native Americans. Not just the role of women, but about their medical and legal traditions as well.

_{Tolerating prostitution is tolerating abuse and torture of women and children.}

^{"All men's gains are the fruit of venturing."}

-Herodotus

was enough to get me started. Two pleases and I'll actually have to do a good job. LOL

Distrust anyone who wants to teach you something.

... have in mind - there are women's refuges in many European cities and I am aware of a similar program here in Toronto.

It is a testament to how broken our societies are that they usually operate at maximum capacity. In most cases sheltering women from spousal abuse or in even more extreme cases "honor killings". The latter is a real problem for Germany and France that have large poorly integrated Muslim immigrant minorities. (BTW don't want to imply that Islam condones these crimes in any way. Far from being an expert on this subject I think these crimes are motivated by an even older throw back to brutal patriarchal traditions that directly derive from prime evolutionary impulses).

a sacred sanctuary for women would be ideal. Even if it was only to take a brief respite from all the ridicule and objectification in the media.

_{Tolerating prostitution is tolerating abuse and torture of women and children.}