Final answer:
The sexual division of labor varies across societies, with patterns indicating that women's significant contributions to subsistence are linked to higher social status and equality. Gender roles and labor distribution both influence and reflect cultural norms and power structures, and are subject to change over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sexual Division of Labor in Societies
In the ethnographic literature, the sexual division of labor refers to the way tasks and roles are distributed between genders in a society based on cultural norms and practices. This phenomenon has varied greatly across different societies and time periods, but it generally includes some differentiation of tasks between men and women. For instance, in gatherer-hunter societies, where women's gathering usually provided the majority of dietary sustenance, women tended to enjoy greater social equality. Conversely, in agricultural and industrial societies, the establishment of separate 'public' and 'private' spheres often saw women relegated to the private sphere of home and hearth, leading to a greater gender disparity.
Roles are not immutable, as demonstrated by cultures where women are respected leaders in the household and have critical roles in farming and other economic activities. Even in matrilineal societies, where female authority is recognized, men typically assume most public leadership roles in religious and political spheres, although there are notable exceptions based on the society in question.
The distribution of work between genders influences social status and power dynamics within a culture. Studies have shown that where women contribute significantly to subsistence, they generally hold higher social status and have greater equality with men. This can be observed through historical examples, such as the response of Native American men to European attempts at enslavement, which failed in part due to gendered views on hunting and agriculture.