I have a question and I’m trying to understand whether my thinking is respectful or outdated.
Should it be considered typical or expected for women to work in very physically demanding, dirty, and potentially unhealthy jobs — such as coal mining, paving streets, working with construction trucks, changing oil, breathing dust or fumes, getting covered in grease, and doing labor that can damage the body and make the hands rough?
My first reaction is to say no — not because I think women are weak or incapable, but because I feel protective and respectful toward women. At the same time, I understand that women should have the freedom to choose any job they want.
So my question is: does thinking this way make me sexist? Or is there a difference between respecting a woman’s right to choose this kind of work and questioning whether society should expect women to do dirty, unhealthy, and physically punishing jobs?
I’m genuinely asking and open to different perspectives.