Why are the traditional gender roles laid by evolution involve men as dominant and women as submissive?

Question

Should we not change them? It's high time we mix it up. Sub guys are just as good as sub girls. Dommes are rare and beautiful. You can be masculine and gay. Not all lesbians like lacrosse. Etc.

SomeGuyCalledTom · Accepted Answer

I think the distinction between hunter/patriarch and gatherer/matriarch has been falsely conflated with Internet culture's definitions of alpha/dom and beta/sub. Go watch a documentary or two about tribes who still function as hunter-gatherer societies to this day. The women do not at all come off as submissive and docile. They could make most modern first world feminists look like lost little kids.

I think hunter-gatherer societies just have a more honest self-assessment of how to distribute roles, because they're constantly humbled and pummelled into order by the vicissitudes of nature itself. Us privileged Westerners have lost all sense of how good we have things, with our indoor heating and cultural amenities and access to modern healthcare, etc. As a result we engage in all kinds of self-delusions, because the demands of nature are too far from our doorstep to keep us whipped into shape. Being hungry cold and wet makes you get real honest with yourself real fast.

Extrapolate that process over thousands of generations; within the shared social context of an multigenerational tribe, and its no wonder that roles tend to codify around generalised archetypes. When enough generations of a tribe see and discover that their offspring survive the elements better with a full-time maternal caregiver present during early childhood, then it's no wonder that women wind up being represented in the abstract as more of a nurterer archetype. The same can be said of tribes who see and discover over generations that the (relatively) bigger stronger males are better suited for frontline offensive against predator animals. So it's no wonder they represent the masculine archetype as more akin to "the warrior" or the "go-getter".

These are by no means the only roles or archetypes to emerge from hunter gatherer societies of course. But it's not hard to see why they are distributed so universally in tribes/societies that still live amongst (and, you might say, in opposition to) the remorseless forces of the natural world. When we're talking about intergenerational survival, it's simply more expedient to play to one's strengths, and accept the necessary tradeoffs (imposed, as they are, by the brutality of nature, and the frailty + finiteness of human existence).

Of course, there have been female warriors/hunters and male nurterers/gatherers in the records of history. (And probably many more who left no trace of their deeds in the history books.) But its usually the exception, not the norm. And in matters of life or death, your tribe should be really invested in establishing the most normal of norms ASAP. What's normal is replicable, and what's replicable is sustainable, and what's sustainable is what promotes survival not just for the individual, but for their tribe across time, beyond even the individual's limited lifespan.

Now, notice how careful I've been to not make any assertions about one role being more "dominant" than the other. Because hunter gatherer tribes don't really have such labels in their vocabulary. Of anything, men and women in those tribes experience a more pure "gender equality" than us modernised Westerners ever could, because nature itself IS the great equaliser for them. We have the luxury of sitting around debating on the ethics and politics and socio-economics of gender disparities and their consequences and causes. We can intellectualise over which group of people is more aggrieved than another, and we can pontificate over who should pay reparations to whom. We can do all this because we're protected enough from nature's brutality to believe ourselves separate from it's constraining pressures. The very concept of being constrained by ANYTHING outside of ourselves feels like a dirty idea to us. Hence the "i don't need no man" feminists on one side, and the "don't trust any bitch" MGTOW guys on the other side. Free of nature's constraints, our egos grow to the point we see ourselves as unconstrainable.

NamerOfStars · Accepted Answer

Like you said: evolution. The dominant roles are also the riskier ones; women who take more risks tend to have fewer children that survive. Men who DON'T take risks tend to have fewer children that survive. The innovations of the previous few centuries have made pretty much everything safer than it's ever been before, but 100,000 years of natural selection don't disappear overnight.

You want to do things differently? Great! But you're going to be butting heads with hard-wired instinct the whole time. That doesn't mean it's impossible, but it DOES mean you're going to have a devil of a time convincing anyone else to. It's the kind of thing you have to WANT to do, even on embarrassingly small levels.

Screenwriter · Accepted Answer

You are defining gender roles far too narrowly. If you're simply talking about what human males can do because they have more upper body strength, that's one thing.

But women can stand more pain and no men have babies. Likely it'd kill 'em.

Physical roles based on strength alone are not about dominance. Unless you're speaking about PHYSICAL dominance. Just because a man can down a lion with a spear doesn't mean he's psychologically dominant in his relationship with his partner.

Though men brought home high protein meat, it is the women who supplied most of the carbohydrates, the basis of the human diet, from gathering. Meat was a supplement and rare in the diet because it took such a long time and lots of resources to acquire it.

Women spent more time raising children and taught them early life skills. Not until adolescence were the living tasks split up due to physical difference.

Today we DO mix it up, if we want to. Some people don't want to because of whatever skills tthey do or don't bring to their relationships.

You make your life what you want it to be within your limitations and exceptionalities. Almost none of us live in jungles or nature anymore. Machines do most of our heavy lifting. So today, traditional gender roles are mostly superfluous and adhered to because of tradition and nothing more.

lilyanony1 · Accepted Answer

I don't think that's true. If you read the religious teachings of the Bible. I'm using the bible since this is a Christian country and I was christened.

Woman was made from the man's rib.
She is to stand at his side as his equal.. That was the intention of God.
Woman was made as a ally, companion, lover and friend.
What man lacked her gave women.
So in that respect we're like the ying and yang.

There's no harmony without the other.

Now however you interpret that that's up to you.

Now please don't throw the whole lgbtq thing at me.

That's not the point of what I'm saying.
You can still form alliances in a none sexual way with a man and woman.
Look at brothers and sisters.
Cousins.
Family in law.

Harmony can be achieved in many different ways.

OlderAndWiser · Answer

Do what you want but I think most people do what they are comfortable doing. I understand that is a result of social pressures. Fact is that our society is like an aircraft carrier; it takes a very long time for us to make significant turn.

Kaneki05 · Answer

Every creature does it differently so it's just the way humans went for some reason.
We ain't spiders.

In the future tho thanks to social stuff has a lot of things to do with evolution, we will all probably be born both sex's (Like some people already are, what is mutation can be simply an early step of evolution) and fluid to go either way. That's if humanity lasts that long.

Ez-Bri-Z · Answer

I'd imagine it is because back in the day men used force to dominant all around him including women and animals. Thankfully things have changed since then and we are getting to a place where equality is going to be the norm and frankly I am excited about that.

pickedcrisps · Answer

Put it this way. I suppose it's like looking at not just how men and women are bodily different but a more curious one; how most women seem to prefer being on all fours or on their backs during intercourse (which also has the most likely chance of pregnancy for sperm gravity to swim) and why men are often on top or mounting like a horse saddle.

So that's how I figure it. It's just natural design or intended design. Not much different than the animals. 🙄

PadyFrogette · Answer

In a relationship with another girl I find it easy to be completely dominating and I love it, but when I am in a relationship with a guy, I expect him to completely dominate me sexually and emotionally, I am always completely submissive and am there for his pleasure.
A few years back I lived with a guy who dominated me 24/7, when we went out for pleasure to a club, restaurent or concert I would have to wear the scantiest of clothes exhibiting my body for everyone to see.
I loved it.

Shizunk · Answer

If a woman with good ideas wants to take charge, nobody is stopping her. But if you mean in bed only, that has a lot to do with evolution and biology. Even if politically, our society somehow becomes very patriarchal, sexual preferences will stay mostly untouched. Or atbthe very least, they will be the last thing to go.

ohshee · Answer

With every passing year you get women who are more eager to prove themselves they're more stronger in the more independent and that's what it's all about I don't know if we should change anything but what I do think is a woman should have the right to do anything she wants and not be questioned about it

TheorionMage · Answer

Generally because men are by comparison, 'disposable'... while they DO provide by hunting and defending 'their' offspring and proving by combat, their worthiness to be ALLOWED to mate. Females ARE the ultimate arbiters of WHO'S DNA gets to meet their ovum, thereby in the long view, WHERE this species is headed!

Contemporary misogynist predominant culture plays that down~

YHL6965 · Answer

Because men are naturally more aggressive and women are naturally more agreeable on average. It's simple biology, not social constructs or, rather, the social constructs are derived from basic biology like that.

That said, you don't have to conform to these particular roles as they are tendencies so, if you are naturally more submissive as a guy or more dominant as a woman, nothing wrong with that. You are just not the majority.

TheBigGuy9 · Answer

Leave it like the Bible says. It’s not our duty to change things. God made us in his image. Changing things is all ideology and only further screws things up. Screws up children being raised by a mom and dad. This has gone on since the beginning of time. To change things at a whims notice would be one of the dumbest most selfish things one could do.

jasco · Answer

Gender rules were build due to the labor force. During the early 1900s and before, men were doing the more difficult jobs that would require much more muscle than what is required today. Things were a lot different back than. Now however their aren’t any gender roles because people don’t use them. Everyone can be who they wanna in. Doesn’t matter what gender either.

NathanDavis · Answer

I've always liked and had a lioness by my side... this world and this life knows little about mercy so whether you're a man or woman, we should all step up to that and make the most out of it

GaGirls · Answer

What do you mean? You mean force people to be submissive and others to be dominant like we already currently do? Or do you mean change as in the halting of criticism and shaming?

BlackTealLazer · Answer

Well, in Christianity, God made man before he made woman, so Adam (man) was told to dominate over Eve (woman). That's the Christian explanation. But, I don't know, honestly.

jshm2 · Answer

You're confused - it's culture, not evolution which has placed many of these "roles" you like to think about.

slatyb · Answer

By evolution? We evolved as hinter-gatherers. Now we livw in a complex market economy so it makes sense that roles have changed.

Tstrbrainer · Answer

Yes, if a guy wants to be submissive or just take care of children or do household chores, it's his choice.  But not all men are happy with that idea

ChiPaPa · Answer

People should be able to be what they want in regards to gender roles.

moviedude714 · Answer

A lot of people say it's because the man penetrates the woman during sex which means the woman is being submissive during the act

Juxtapose · Answer

Cus we have strength & CAN boss women around. Obviously these days it's different but that is evolution for you.

ThatNoUVAtYourEyes · Answer

They don't. It's a social construct, probably has to do with the Mongol conquests (girls are now taught to give in but take the abortion pill)

anylolone · Answer

it doesn't involve men as dominant, it involves men as disposable and women as precious. Everything else is a consequence of the cloistered/abandoned dichotomy.

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

Gender roles have nothing to do with evolution. Gender roles is a social construct made up by dead men.

Babygirl_S · Answer

Because men are physically stronger so they can dominate.

Jude_Wills · Answer

Unfortunately girls don't like sub guys. Even they think they are not a guys

Guardian45 · Answer

It is NOT laid out by Evolution, but by human society.

Waldoe · Answer

basically... men are bigger muscled, women are more nurturing... Gods plan

Gwenhwyfar · Answer

You’re definitely right

smallandtiny · Answer

Oh my god would you stop asking this question already, today only I have read this question 3 times.

WowwGirl · Answer

So we can raise kids very easy ovaries

Sonorous · Answer

Because evolution.

zagor · Answer

So have at it...

Why are the traditional gender roles laid by evolution involve men as dominant and women as submissive?

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Why are the traditional gender roles laid by evolution involve men as dominant and women as submissive?

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