In patriarchal societies, misogyny buttresses a worldview of male superiority, insuring its stability and continuation. Straight-jacketed gender expectations stem from the asymmetrical gender roles and resonate powerfully within the unconscious life of individuals and of their cultures. The subtle or direct enforcement of these gender roles creates a dilemma for both men and women, who are left struggling and confused about the ways in which they may not conform to cultural expectations, while others flaunt their superiority at surpassing the societal norms.

I describe three analysands who wrestled with the experiences of rigidly employed gender norms within their families. The misogyny in analysands A and B was eventually understood to be related to aggressive and rigid gender expectations, and to the fantasies about each gender, held by their parents. The prominent internalized misogyny seen in female analysand D was similarly understood.