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Women Are More Resilient in the Face of Adversity Than Men, Study Shows

Tamim Alnuweiri
January 11, 2018
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Photo: Stocksy/Victor Torres
You can thank the patriarchy for the idea that women are somehow weaker or more fragile than men, despite the fact that we can literally create and push out life (and be HBIC in basically any and all avenues of life). But in case you needed additional concrete evidence that women are tough AF—beyond the long-standing and well-known stat that women outlive men—a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that during times of crises and epidemics spanning 250 years of history, they have also thrived in greater numbers, living anywhere from six months to four years longer than men.

The study found that women were surviving and living longer throughout history, even when mortality rates and lifespans were low across the board, by anywhere from six months to four years.

The study examined mortality rates during times of adversity (such as epidemics, widespread disease, and famines), when mortality rates where high and lifespans were low, and found that female survival can actually be attributed to their resilience in infancy rather than later in life. The researchers say, via Science Daily, this indicates that "the survival advantage of women has fundamental biological underpinnings," i.e. not fully environmental conditions, i.e., women *seem* to be biologically stronger than men.

The study authors speculated that part of this can be attributed to the presence of estrogen in females, which the study explains offers immune-system–enhancing properties.

Another day, another reminder that females are strong as hell.

For more girl power, here's how the home is becoming a place of empowerment for women and Serena Williams' inspiring words on motherhood. 

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