This is a democracy, we the people make the laws.

That statement alone is a bit naive. While things that get public attention can be more or less decided by "the people", most laws are made without the public even noticing and a lot of those of such complexity, that only a small fraction of people has the knowledge to even understand what that means (well - not that many more politicians do actually, I am afraid, but that's how it is)

There is such a flood of laws being made, that it is fairly easy to introduce loopholes to undermine sensible laws that the public supports.

Just take a look at what's happening around international trade agreements nowadays - the most noteworthy between US and EU - that try to implement internet restrictions, weird copyright laws and allow for corporations to underminde law makers and sue the state if they are not happy with new laws. And while a number of such attempts were stopped by the public at some time public attention dwindles and these laws eventually get introduced some way or another.

And as far as the rest goes... I personally wouldn't really say, that it is not a patriarchy anymore in a strict sense, but after thousands of years of male dominated society there is this HUGE ballast on social dynamics regarding gender, that legal equality is not enough by far to ensure actual equality. These are things that are deeply rooted inside our heads. Male and female. Women are treated differently and often condensendingly. To see that you simply have to analyze language and behavioral patterns. There's a lot of bias depending on your gender. On superficial criteria. That's simply an undeniable fact.