The sexual division of labour is sometimes thought to obey “natural” laws, so that women do jobs that are more appropriate for their bodies and social roles. If so, the division of labour would be good for women’s health. But, if that were true, women would not be found in health care jobs that require them to lift heavy weights (patients) and to work at night. They would not be found in microelectronics plants that expose them to known reproductive hazards (Huel et al., 1990), and they would not be forced to work irregular, unpredictable schedules that seriously interfere with.
