A kind of labor goes largely unrecognized and unrewarded in our society. It is emotional labor: using our brains and muscles to support or improve the emotional well-being of ourselves and/or others. We examine its differences from and similarities to the labor that produces physical goods and services. Tragic social consequences flow from denying or minimizing the importance of emotional labor at home and on the job. We challenge the lack of attention to emotional labor and analyze why that lack exists. Respect for emotional labor is a profound political issue.