Chapter 1: The Emotional Labor of Women

In exploring the societal roles assigned to men and women throughout history, it becomes evident that women have long carried the emotional weight of family and community life. In a previous discussion, I delved into the often-overlooked concept of emotional labor—essentially the unrecognized effort required to maintain harmony and happiness among those around us.

Women have frequently been seen as the cohesive force in families and teams, taking on organizational responsibilities without receiving acknowledgment for their contributions. We serve as the glue that binds everything together, a role that seems to be both expected and undervalued.

Is this expectation rooted in our true abilities, or is it a reflection of societal norms that favor assigning these tasks to women? Perhaps men possess equal capabilities but have been conditioned to overlook these strengths due to societal influences.

Historically, the differentiation of roles between genders has been widely accepted. Traditionally, women were thought to engage in nurturing roles while men took on more physically demanding tasks. This narrative, often taught in schools, positions men as hunters and women as gatherers.

However, this "man the hunter" theory is not as straightforward as it seems. The foundational work by anthropologists Richard B. Lee and Irven DeVore, which popularized this notion, was inherently biased, suggesting that evolution favored male hunters and relegated women to passive roles. This perspective has perpetuated the idea of women as secondary contributors.

Recent research by Sarah Lacy and Cara Ocobock from the University of Delaware challenges this long-standing assumption by investigating the roles of both genders during the Paleolithic era, which spans approximately 2.5 million to 12,000 years ago. Their findings indicate that women were indeed capable of hunting, revealing a more balanced division of labor than previously assumed.

While it's acknowledged that men may have advantages in speed and strength, women excel in activities that require endurance, a trait attributed to the hormone estrogen. Furthermore, skeletal evidence shows no significant differences in trauma patterns between genders, suggesting that both men and women participated equally in various activities.

In small, cooperative groups, it would have been impractical for only one gender to undertake hunting. Flexibility in roles was essential for the survival of the community.

> "What we take as de facto gender roles today are not inherent, do not characterize our ancestors. We were a very egalitarian species for millions of years in many ways." — Sara Lacy

The misinterpretation of gender roles throughout history can be attributed to biases within scientific inquiry. Neutrality in science is a myth; our perspectives are shaped by our backgrounds and cultural contexts, making it challenging to disentangle ingrained beliefs.

Ultimately, the evidence suggests that both men and women engaged in hunting in the past, and women are not destined to shoulder the burden of emotional labor alone. Each individual possesses unique qualities, and gender should not confine our potential.

Marieke, a mother of two and an avid traveler, combines her experiences with her educational background in communications and management. Through her journey of self-discovery, she aims to broaden perspectives and enrich lives.

Chapter 2: Breaking Down Historical Bias

In this chapter, we will further explore the implications of these historical findings and their relevance to contemporary gender roles.