We talk a lot about gender roles as though they’re about tradition or preference, but at their core they’re about dependency—about making sure none of us ever feels quite capable enough on our own.
I’ve come to believe that women and men are both infantilized in different ways so that we remain dependent on one another. Women are told they’re bad with money, tools, cars, and anything remotely technical. Men are told they’re helpless in the kitchen, emotionally illiterate, and incapable of managing a household or nurturing relationships. The end result isn’t balance—it’s a system that quietly ensures everyone needs someone else to function.
Continue reading “Gender roles didn’t make us partners—they made us dependent”
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