Kurdish women (Kurdish: ژنی کوردی, romanized: Jnî Kurdî) traditionally had more rights than those living in other Islamic social and political systems, although traditional Kurdish culture, as most of traditional societies in the Middle East, is patriarchal, and in Kurdish families and communities, it has been "natural" for men to enjoy predominant power. Kurdish traditions, despite the religious pressure, have allowed women to work outside their home and alongside men, including militarily, and Kurdish history saw examples of women becoming military or community leaders. Pro-feminist values began gaining a significant weight among politically active Kurds in the 1980s, and Kurdish women's rights and equality have improved dramatically in the 21st century due to progressive movements within Kurdish society, and Kurdish women have played an almost equal role with men in struggle for democracy and Kurdish national liberation.