I ran across an intriguing article by Anninyn at In Case of Survival about gender roles in a post-apocalypse world.
Most post-apocalyptic media (and a lot of prepper groups) have this weird idea that when the world ends the women will finally get back in the kitchen where they belong. While the post-apocalyptic world may be harsher to those of the female gender than the male in some ways, anyone who things gender is the main thing of importance in deciding who does what is going to find their survival group operating at less than peak efficiency.
So very true! Surviving in a post-apocalyptic world will take understanding that individuals come with different types of skills and abilities that have nothing to do with their gender. Yes, of course women have babies and men can’t. And yes, generally speaking men are physically stronger than women; but these are not life defining characteristics. Groups that can organize others and utilize their members’ skills will come out on top. Societies who suppress members of their group won’t fair well.
I also think that sometimes the agency of women is overlooked when post-apocalyptic futures are imagined. Do people really believe that all women will just lay down and take it if they find themselves facing oppression? All human beings crave liberty and will engage in all levels of subterfuge to fight for that liberty. Societies that have less liberty will inherently have more conflict. And societies with internal conflict are weaker and more susceptible to outside attacks.
SunHi Mistwalker is the author of several books including the “After The Darkness” series set in a frozen post-apocalyptic future. Join SunHi Mistwalker’s mailing list to receive updates, freebies and other perks.
Sunhi Mistwalker 
I think that it is entirely probably for woman to become slaves in a post-apocalyptic world. I don’t think that it is a guarantee. After all, the Amazons sure did survive without the use of men.
that is not a thing amazons had men. they were just a group of scythians whose men and women fought side by side. Because they were horse archer whose skills don’t require being big and strong so being woman doesn’t hinder ability at it. I agree women as a second-class gender would be a possibility. Especially as guns and amunnition would become more scarce. As far as women becoming slaves that is highly unlikely and slavery would not abide by gender because there is no historical example of this.
You have to get to a stable agricultural level of society before you get women in a kitchen.
When you are living at bare sustenance most people don’t have a lot of time to worry about what there station in life is. That type of concern comes when you have a surplus to worry about.
I was reading about the collapse of Argentina’s economy and the thing that struck me the most was how the society’s decline was gradual. And even then, there was a hierarchy. But alas, it’s not really a question of hierarchy it’s a question of being able to get people (and that includes women, to join your tribe. The more oppressive your society is, the more difficult it will be to get women and reproduce — and the ability to reproduce will determine your long-term survival. Thanks for your comments Russell, please stop by and visit anytime.