Happiest sex-role reversal communities
The Arapesh and Mundugumor tribes, described by Margaret Mead, agree in making little
differentiation on a
sex role basis. Differences that occur between individuals are not "sex-linked." A third tribe
studied by Mead
offers an example of a clear case of sex role reversal between men and women. This occurred
among the
Tchambuli partly as a result of the imposition of the "Pax Britannica", which
outlawed tribal wars. The warriors
lost their traditional role and became largely decorative in society. The economic support of
the society still
depended upon the women and their status, in consequence, improved. In the words of one
commentator - ". .
. the woman emerges as the dominant, impersonal managing partner, secure and cooperative,
while the man
develops into a less responsible and emotionally dependant person, prone to petty bickering
and
misunderstandings." Sex role reversal, insofar as it affects parental function, has also been
noted among the
Manus.