The Aztec family pattern was bilateral, counting relatives on the father's and mother's side of the family equally, and inheritance was also passed both to sons and daughters. This meant that women could own property just as men and that women therefore had a good deal of economic freedom from their spouses. Nevertheless, Aztec society was highly gendered with separate gender roles for men and women. Men were expected to work outside of the house, as farmers, traders, craftsmen, and warriors, whereas women were expected to take responsibility for the domestic sphere. Women could however also work outside of the home as small-scale merchants, doctors, priests, and midwives. Warfare was highly valued and a source of high prestige, but women's work was metaphorically conceived of as equivalent to warfare, and as equally important in maintaining the equilibrium of the world and pleasing the gods. This situation has led some scholars to describe Aztec gender ideology as an ideology not of a gender hierarchy, but of gender complementarity, with gender roles being separate but equal.
the aztec family pattern was bilateral counting relatives on the father's and mother's side of the family equally and inheritance was also passed both to sons and daughters this meant that women could own property just as men and that women therefore had a good deal of economic freedom from their spouses nevertheless aztec society was highly gendered with separate gender roles for men and women men were expected to work outside of the house as farmers traders craftsmen and warriors whereas women were expected to take responsibility for the domestic sphere women could however also work outside of the home as small-scale merchants doctors priests and midwives warfare was highly valued and a source of high prestige but women's work was metaphorically conceived of as equivalent to warfare and as equally important in maintaining the equilibrium of the world and pleasing the gods this situation has led some scholars to describe aztec gender ideology as an ideology not of a gender hierarchy but of gender complementarity with gender roles being separate but equal