Chapter 1: A Shocking Revelation

I was taken aback after encountering an article that asserted Stone Age women might have outperformed men in hunting. The notion stirred a latent sense of skepticism within me. Could this be yet another instance of rewriting history to fit modern ideals? Honestly, what prehistoric animal would allow itself to be caught by a hunter who "ran like a girl"?

After some reflection, I began to consider that there might be validity to this assertion. I put aside my initial disbelief and pondered how a contemporary woman — a descendant of those who once hunted saber-toothed tigers — could simply watch as her cat tore apart my new couch. What went wrong in our evolutionary journey?

From what I’ve gathered, hunting may have resembled a primitive social media challenge, where women, as experts suggest, truly excelled. But why was I oblivious to this information? Why isn’t this narrative more prevalent in our history books? And most importantly, why isn't there a genre dedicated to prehistoric huntress films?

Previously, my exposure to female hunters was limited to watching the film "One Million Years BC," where Raquel Welch pursued dinosaurs in an outfit more befitting a pop star than a prehistoric huntress. As a teenage boy, I admittedly focused more on her attire than her hunting prowess. However, learning about these recent findings has prompted me to take this topic more seriously. My main question now is how did women evolve from figures like Xena the Warrior Princess into modern influencers?

It seems that during the Paleolithic era, fur was seen as fashionable rather than a faux pas. Additionally, most young women at that time likely didn’t consider themselves vegans. So, when did this aversion to hunting emerge? At which point did women start to view hunting as "icky"?

Background

Dr. Cara Ocobock, head of the Human Energetics Laboratory at the University of Notre Dame, conducted research indicating that women were physiologically better suited than men to exhaust their prey before finishing them off. Apparently, those Stone Age women were more formidable than a professional football player!

But what contributed to this biological advantage? Two hormones — estrogen and adiponectin (found in higher concentrations in many women) — allowed early female hunters to pursue their targets over long distances, ultimately wearing them out before delivering the final blow. This metabolic edge persists today, but instead of chasing prey in the wild, women often demonstrate their endurance in local spin classes.

Dr. Ocobock also posits that wider hips provided female hunters with a longer stride, enhancing their efficiency in running and walking. This trait enabled them to chase prey for extended periods. Interestingly, this physical characteristic has seemingly become part of modern mating rituals, evidenced by the plethora of "twerking" videos circulating online.

Certain behaviors appear to be ingrained in the female psyche. Just as ancient women stalked their prey, contemporary women may stalk their partners — perhaps even spray-painting "CHEATER" on a flashy new car.

Another study published in the American Anthropologist suggests that certain injuries found on female skeletons from the Paleolithic era imply they took part in hunting excursions. However, some scholars contest this, theorizing the injuries could stem from other high-risk activities, such as dancing in high heels after a few too many drinks.

Advocates of this narrative point to female skeletons from prehistoric times being buried with various hunting tools, suggesting they may have been hunters. Of course, it’s also possible these items were acquired through a divorce settlement.

Section 1.1: Gender Roles in Prehistoric Society

If, as experts assert, women’s natural superiority in hunting made them the primary providers of protein, did that leave men to take on more domestic roles, such as childcare and cleaning? This shift might have weighed heavily on male egos.

Cavemen might have felt their domestic contributions were undervalued compared to their female counterparts, potentially breeding resentment and tension within relationships. This could have led to a gradual decline in male assertiveness. Some theorize that a primordial equivalent of Jordan Peterson emerged to advocate for men’s rights, resulting in protests and the symbolic burning of loincloths.

Over time, cavewomen likely grew weary of the whining and yielded on minor issues. BIG MISTAKE! Soon, men began encroaching on traditionally female roles, like complaining about dinner choices.

“Are we having woolly mammoth for dinner AGAIN?”

As gender roles began to blur, questions arose: Should men and women hunt together, or should hunting remain gender-segregated, akin to today’s sports leagues? Perhaps men should hunt alongside other men to bolster their self-esteem, especially if they felt inferior to their female peers.

Eventually, a temporary balance was achieved. For a fleeting moment — perhaps 30 seconds — men and women experienced genuine equality. Then, the usual squabbling resumed.

“I cleaned the fire pit last time; it’s your turn!”

Men, with their sneaky, passive-aggressive tendencies, eventually managed to overturn the established order and create a new one. This time, however, the new hierarchy was founded on a misguided belief in male superiority — a prime example of gender-based tribalism.

The rest, as they say, is history — his history, not hers. Civilization progressed smoothly for millennia until the 1960s, when a significant cultural upheaval marked the advent of the Feminolithic Era.

Like the comet that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, the Women’s Movement shattered long-standing social norms. In its wake, two new archetypes emerged: the Empathetic Man and the Empowered Woman. Sadly, civilization would never be the same again.

I’d love to delve deeper into this topic, but I need to wrap things up. My wife will be home shortly, and I must prepare dinner. Plus, the kids made quite the mess in the living room, and I should tidy that up. Oh, and later, I’ll be taking Katie to soccer practice.

This video discusses how feminist researchers argue that women were actually the hunters and providers in prehistoric societies, challenging traditional gender roles.

In this short video, the argument is made that ancient hunters were predominantly female, offering a fresh perspective on our understanding of gender roles in prehistoric times.