Our very first Mishna teaches us about who can and cannot perform shechita, ritual slaughter, in the Temple. All people except for those who are deaf and mute, those who are not intellectually competent, and those who are not yet of age. This is because they might err in their work. Interestingly, women and Canaanites are not mentioned in this list of those who are excepted.
The rabbis wonder why women are permitted to do this very sacred act. Some suggest that women should not take part in ritual slaughter because they are "lightheaded". Others counter that women will not be lightheaded when they are surrounded by the sanctity of the Temple. Interesting that the rabbis keep women from the practical study of Torah and then they call those women lightheaded. In this case, the rabbis rule that women should be permitted to perform shechita.
Steinsaltz points out that the Ashkenazi tradition has not allowed women to take part in shechita. This is an example of our tradition building more fences that even our Sages recommended.
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