ofc without the discussion being there, even the ppl who might otherwise agree with the messages of equality etc, might just follow the teaching and understandings of the other size, because they know of no alternative.
People change when there is no more choice left, like how women started to get more rights during/after the world wars when they had to work in factories etc and men were just forced to accept that yes.... women CAN function without them.
But giving people no choice but to see that yes you ARE equal to them is a lot more difficult than making them think there is some worth to you.