Introduction
The time of slavery in the US, especially in the Antebellum period, was characterized by harsh living conditions for slaves who were forced to do hard work and did not have appropriate incentives. Speaking about the gender aspect of slavery, one might notice that the experience of forced labor was harder for women than for men. Planters often did not separate the black forced laborers into weak and strong sexes, and exhausting work, supplemented by constant punishment, affected women more strongly. Using the examples of the individual experience of slaves, this work is aimed at describing the gender factor in the context of slaves’ everyday lives and resistance to existing orders.
Gender Factor of Slavery in Terms of Family, Work, and Daily Life
In the context of everyday life, women’s slave labor can be assessed as no less exhausting than men’s, and sometimes even more difficult. According to Frader, along with domestic duties, such as cooking, cleaning owners’ houses, caring for children, and other tasks, black women also worked on the street and were often employed at plantations (34). The hardest work was entrusted to men, but they were exempted from domestic duties. As a result, female slaves often performed more exhausting work.
Traditional ideas about slave labor in a gender context can be seen in cinema. Stevenson gives examples of cinematographic works and points out that in the media space, attention to female slavery has always been stronger (488). The numerous tasks that women faced inevitably affected their health, and any form of resistance was more likely to be available to men who had more opportunities and time. As a result, when speaking of the daily lives of American slaves, one might note more debilitating conditions for women than for men.
Slave Gender in the Context of Resistance
In the context of the opposition to slavery, some forced laborers have become symbols of freedom and the struggle for equality. Among men, the examples of Solomon Northup, Frederick Douglass, and a few others are noteworthy. Douglass, being a slave by inheritance, became one of the most famous fighters for the rights of the black population, acting as the leader of the abolitionist movement (Chukwu 28). Northup also represented this movement, and in his struggle for freedom, he became a symbol of independence, proving that black citizens could be educated and well-mannered (Chukwu 20). However, along with men, some female slaves also made history as members of the resistance movement.
The examples of Harriet Jacobs, Margaret Garner, Louisa Picquet, and a few others prove that women also took an active part in the liberation movement, although it was harder for them. For instance, Garner showed an example of resilience by killing herself without becoming a victim of her pursuers (Marshall 94). Being slaves not only physically but also sexually, many black women could not bear their fate (Marshall 93). As a result, their struggle for freedom can be regarded as more difficult and, at the same time, more necessary than that of men.
Conclusion
In the history of American slavery, gender must be seen as a crucial aspect of that period. Men and women had many responsibilities and were deprived of their rights, but when comparing their way of life, one can note that women had a harder time. They, like men, took part in the resistance movement, but due to the numerous household duties and close relationships with their children, it was more difficult for them to resist slave owners.
Works Cited
Chukwu, J. C. “The Slave Narrative in African-American Literature: A Study of Solomon Northup, Frederick Douglass and Harriet Jacobs.” Journal of Literature, Languages, and Linguistics, vol. 65, 2020, pp. 19-31.
Frader, Laura Levine. “Gender and Labor in World History.” A Companion to Global Gender History, edited by Teresa A. Meade and Merry E. Weisner-Hanks, John Wiley & Sons, 2020, pp. 27-42.
Marshall, Lydia Wilson. “Women, Slavery, and Labor in the United States.” Journal of African Diaspora Archaeology and Heritage, vol. 11, no. 2, 2022, pp. 93-96.
Stevenson, Brenda E. “Filming Black Voices and Stories: Slavery on America’s Screens.” Journal of the Civil War Era, vol. 8, no. 3, 2018, pp. 488-520.