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Why Women Still Can T Have It All And Dig Deep: Beyond Lean In

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More modern women no longer subscribe to the idea that they should only aspire to be housewives. This movement, which began in the 1940s, is hailed as the rebirth of feminism. Women entered the workforce to replace their husbands who had been sent off to fight in World War II. As a result, their work in factories and shipyards challenged the gender norms of that time period, and thus paved the way for future generations to come (“The Women’s Movement—Our History,” 2005). Today, in lieu of Rosie the Riveter, women and girls have many professional role models to look up to. Nonetheless, it remains imperative that the structure of the workplace changes to accommodate a more balanced gender ratio, but this is not always possible within the current patriarchal framework. Gender equality in the workplace has not yet been achieved despite the successes of elite women. However, as small progressions are being made, it is a recurring debate among feminists whether or not the ambitious woman can “have it all.” Sheryl Sandberg expounds on this idea in her book Lean In, believing it possible if a woman has enough determination. Other esteemed women, such as Anne-Marie Slaughter and feminist scholar bell hooks dissect her arguments in their respective works “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All” and “Dig Deep: Beyond Lean In,” both coming to the conclusion that women and men must first be liberated from the institution. Richard Dorment, author of “Why Men Still Can’t Have It All”, bases his

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