You might want to dig into archaeology and look at the many women warriors buried in regalia or dug out ice with an arrow through the heart and a sack of herbs on her hip. Women and men fought to survive for tens of thousands of years before we got medieval. I love that DOS2 never followed conventional gender roles and never felt overtly political. I did not notice the Magister was pleading for her wife's life in Arx when you get past the gate. Maybe you were sarcastic but a game where female characters were only in skirts and raising kids it sounds terribly boring. Girls kick ass.
That is kind of a mischaracterization of what roles women have had historically as well.
Women helped run the shops, they sewed the clothes, which could take just as long as the men in the fields, and even cooking was dangerous because it was so easy for their dresses to catch fire near an oven.
Women weren't confined to the kitchen and the house simply because they were perceived as weaker, nor were they even confined to the kitchen or house. They were provided for and protected and women were able to step up and help their husbands in their husband's profession by taking on responsibilities their husbands and sons couldn't.
Forging a sword was a lot of work and if a blacksmith had to get it done for a Lord while also shoeing horses, making nails and tools for other members of the community then they simply didn't have the time to do other things like take some of their wares to market when possible, purchase charcoal or even go buy or make clothes.
Everyone had responsibilities because everyone was needed. Men and women simply had different responsibilities.
"I used my last magic poo to check in on my daughter." Scanlan Shorthalt.
