To Be a Woman

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/23/world/middleeast/23iht-letter23.html?_r=1

The above is a link to an article in the New York Times on women's role and rights in the conflict in Tunisia. Given the information contained therein and the snapshot it gives of women in strongly patriarchal and conservative countries what are your thoughts on the the patriarchy that exists within our own society? Do you feel like we have plateaued in our progress? More importantly do you think that the changes happening there will carry over here?