I recently came across the idea of the silent labor of women. As a woman who has relationships with men and has viewed other women in relationships with men, it was extremely refreshing to have a term for the experiences I was having. I distinctly remember at the age of 17; my father had no idea where my high school was after I had not only attended the school for 3 full years but my older sister had also passed through that same school for an additional 4 years of exposure. Meanwhile, my mother knew all my classes, teachers’ names, and room numbers, stemming back to my elementary years. The silent labor of women refers to the idea that there are a lot of things inside and outside the home that societally are an assumed role by women. These “things” not only include dishes, cleaning, childcare, and meals but also include tasks such as planning birthday celebrations, maintaining adult relationships, holiday cards, home furnishing, and calendar keeper. I particularly find myself as a calendar keeper in my own relationships. It really put into perspective the silent labor of women. Originally, I related this attribute to a distinct part of my personality. However, digging deeper I’ve realized, I don’t keep a calendar necessarily out of making myself feel good, but out of knowing that if I don’t, no one else will, and that will in turn, negatively impacts me or my loved ones. Keeping track of all the events happening not only in my life but in the lives of those I feel responsible for is extremely exhausting and takes up a lot of emotional room. I believe making more women aware of the silent labor they perform can better help us appreciate the women that came before us and better support those who come after us!
Please see the journal below to see a list of examples of silent labor women perform on a daily basis: https://www.thecandidly.com/2019/look-at-all-of-this-invisible-labor-women-do-without-being-asked-and-while-working-a-full-time-job-its-staggering