Why Women Are Considered the Weaker Sex?

What was happening during evolution?

 It is believed that humans evolved around 300,000 years ago, a period when they were biologically developing as a distinct species. During this time, men and women didn’t fully understand themselves or each other but recognized a strong, undeniable bond between them, despite their physical and behavioral differences. Desmond Morris explores this bond in detail in his book, The Naked Ape. This powerful connection led men and women to stay together, supporting and caring for one another in every possible way. The strong forces of attraction kept them united throughout much of their lives, eventually giving rise to a family-like structure.

With this background, let's explore the situation of women in society during those times. From birth, human children have always needed parental care and supervision. As children, both boys and girls were treated similarly and there were no pressing gender roles that they had to abide. However, as they grew older and transitioned into adulthood, significant differences emerged. Due to biological differences, women experienced different situations that men didn’t. Girls began menstruating and had no control on it. Since humans were hunters and had seen blood only in life-threatening or life-ending situations, they started associating blood with physical disability. This belief was further reinforced by the pain and cramps women experienced during menstruation.

Additionally, women frequently bore children, as there was no understanding of control on childbirth. Combined with the short life expectancy of that era, most of a woman’s adult life was spent either in pregnancy or postpartum care. When they were not in these stages, they were fully occupied with child-rearing. As a result, women were generally never in a state of physical or emotional fitness that they could leave their abode and go out to participate in activities which men usually do, like hunting and collecting food. During all these stages, women required complete care and support from men, both physically and emotionally. Thus, women became dependent upon men. This constant state of physical vulnerability contributed to the perception of women as the "weaker sex.

These biological factors profoundly influenced the mental and emotional state of women in a very understandable way. Women came to accept their dependence on men for many essential tasks, the most crucial being the procurement of food, primarily through hunting. Hunting required significant physical strength, and since women were often in a state of physical vulnerability for much of their lives, they relied on men for sustenance. From a psychological perspective, providing food is considered one of the highest forms of favor, almost equivalent to giving life itself. This led women to feel a deep sense of gratitude toward men.

As this exchange was mostly one-sided, men gained the status of "The Man"—providers not only of food but also protectors of women and their children from wild animals and other men. This dynamic made women believe that expressing gratitude and never offending their men was essential, as doing so could jeopardize their access to food and survival. In response, women began to care for men's needs within their capacity, which resulted in the development of an obedient, conforming, and submissive woman who could never defy her "master." Thus, physical vulnerability and mental insecurity played a significant role in shaping the social status of women during those times.

The same factors that shaped the psychology of women also influenced the psychology of men in a complementary way. Where there is someone to obey, there must be someone to command. Where there is someone who follows, there must be someone to lead. And where there is gratitude, there must be someone offering support. Men, recognizing their leverage over women, began to feel superior, which led to the emergence of a male-dominated society in nearly every part of the world. For hundreds of thousands of years, both men’s and women’s minds were conditioned this way. Biology played a key role in creating both the oppressed state of women and the dominant role of men. Thus, during the course of evolution, biology had a significant influence on shaping the roles of both genders.

What happened during Civilization phase?

While women were long considered the weaker sex, scientific findings revealed that there are no significant anatomical or physiological differences between male and female bodies, including the brain. As human understanding of biology and disease advanced, new treatment methods were discovered, allowing better control and faster recovery from physical ailments. Medical advancements helped women maintain better health during menstruation and other stages of life, as well as recover more quickly after childbirth. The development of birth control methods dramatically improved women’s quality of life. In fact, it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that research in contraception has been one of the most significant factors in improving the status of women.

Medical science enhanced women’s physical well-being, and with increasing life expectancy, women began to enjoy good health for most of their lives, nearly on par with men. As a result, women’s contributions to family and society grew, and they began taking on tasks traditionally assigned to men. Women started participating in the defense of their homelands, governing states, and contributing to knowledge and innovation, proving their capabilities.

As women's physical fitness improved, they also began to push themselves mentally. However, their minds had been conditioned for thousands of years, and this conditioning cannot be undone in just a few hundred years. As a result, a significant portion of society still believes that traditional gender roles, having stood the test of time, should be maintained. They strongly feel that challenging these roles could disrupt the stability of society.

What is the present state of affairs?

Today, most people acknowledge that men and women can possess similar physical and mental strengths. This has been clearly demonstrated by women excelling in almost every profession, often matching or even surpassing men's performance. However, despite identifying as progressive, embracing scientific and technological advancements, and advocating for gender equality, our conditioned minds often create internal conflict, pushing us to behave in traditional ways. While part of us believes in the validity of new knowledge, another part resists change due to the perceived risks of adopting new ideas.

This conflict affects both men and women. Women, while exploring new opportunities, testing their limits, and proving themselves, often feel guilty about stepping away from their "traditional" roles as mothers and caregivers. Men, on the other hand, face a more complex struggle. First, they are rapidly losing their longstanding status as "lords" of society, and the speed of this change is disorienting. Second, they acknowledge that women are their equals and feel guilty for having denied them this status for so long. Finally, men are unprepared for any kind of passive role in society. Their minds, shaped by thousands of years of evolution, never anticipated this shift. The rapid development of the last century has created a shock to mental conditioning that has been in place for hundreds of thousands of years.

Both genders are currently experiencing a significant internal conflict, and this will only ease with time. As more women recognize their equality with men, and more men support and cooperate with them, a true partnership will emerge. When both men and women can choose their roles based on personal preference rather than societal traditions, society will advance in a meaningful way. Only then will individuals be able to fully contribute to society according to their true potential. This shift will also help bridge other forms of discrimination, such as those based on caste, creed, race, or economic status, more effectively and rapidly. It will create a society where, as Rabindranath Tagore envisioned, "the clear stream of reason will find its way out of the dreary desert sand of dead habit," and “all the minds will be led forward by ever-widening thought and action."

Note: The author hoped that the article will help everyone to realize the scientific reasons for the setup of present society and will clarify the status of potential and limitations of both the genders.