Editing Shakers (section)

===Gender roles===
[[File:William Paul Childers, Shaker Costume, c. 1937, NGA 16138.jpg|alt=Women in brown dress with apron|thumb|William Paul Childers, Shaker Costume, c. 1937. Image from collection of [[National Gallery of Art]], Washington, D.C.]]
Shaker religion valued women and men equally in religious leadership. The church was hierarchical, and at each level women and men shared authority. This was reflective of the Shaker belief that God was both female and male. They believed men and women were equal in the sight of God, and should be treated equally on earth, too. Thus two Elders and two Eldresses formed the Ministry at the top of the administrative structure. Two lower-ranking Elders and two Eldresses led each family, women overseeing women and men overseeing men.<ref>Glendyne R. Wergland, ''Sisters in the Faith: Shaker Women and Equality of the Sexes'' (Amherst: [[University of Massachusetts Press]], 2011), conclusions.</ref>  This allowed the continuation of church leadership when there was a shortage of men.<ref>Suzanne R. Thurman, ''"O Sisters Ain't You Happy?": Gender, Family, and Community among the Harvard and Shirley Shakers, 1781–1918'' (Syracuse University Press, 2002), p. 262.</ref>

In their labor, Shakers followed traditional gender work-related roles. Their homes were segregated by sex, as were women and men's work areas. Women worked indoors spinning, weaving, cooking, sewing, cleaning, washing, and making or packaging goods for sale. In good weather, groups of Shaker women were outdoors, gardening and gathering wild herbs for sale or home consumption. Men worked in the fields doing farm work and in their shops at crafts and trades.
[[File:Enfield Shaker Museum Meeting Room.jpg|thumb|Meeting Room ([[Enfield Shaker Museum]], Enfield, New Hampshire)]]