SUMMARY

Historically, we are in the midst of a third wave of the feminist movement that is concerned with far greater and more basic changes in the “status quo” of women than ever before in its 100-year history. Still concerned with political rights, professional opportunities, and legal and economic equality, women and some men are today trying to find viable, productive, satisfying alternatives to the stifling, sexual stereotypes of the past. So rapid has been the change in thinking that just a few years ago at the 1964 M.I.T. symposium on American Women in Science and Engineering, the basic assumption was still to fit women and their dual responsibilities into the maleoriented and male-dominated scientific world. One panelist even stated that she had not found any problems or prejudices against women if they were extremely competent and hard working. To paraphrase the message: “Being number two, we must try harder!” In 1970, The New York Academy of Sciences sponsored “The Impact of Fertility Limitation on Women’s Life-Career and Personality.” A different consciousness emerged: the workshop organized by Esther Milner questioned many of the previously held assumptions on sex roles and looked toward changes in society and institutions to salvage the tremendous human resources being wasted by the neglect of talented women in our country. At that time, it may have seemed that the questioning and dissatisfactions were those of a few intelligent, overeducated, perhaps neurotic women. There can, however, be no doubt today that many women all over this country (some even opposed to female liberation) want to reexamine themselves as human beings, asking “Who am I? Can I be more?” and searching for broader horizons and clearer directions for their own and their children’s lives. The evidence is in the lay press: Life, Newsweek, even Women’s Wear Daily record the change. At any rate, the stereotype of the female sex role, historically comfortable, emotionally laden, is obsolete. The data available underlines that this role is not good either for the individual or for society, and philosophically no longer acceptable from a humanistic and ethical standpoint. This effort is trying to analyze those positive and negative aspects in our Western-oriented society that were determinants in the lives of individual case histories as well as in the lives of many productive, unusual women who are comfortable with their own sexuality without being overwhelmed by the feminine mystique of the 3 Ks. What are the determinants that, hopefully, will provide models and guidelines for the future? If we allow that the first five years, perhaps the first two, are the most important years in setting the mold for the future, an analysis of family attitudes and relationships is fundamental. Past research in this area has been focused on successful men or on women fulfilling the traditional female role with and without careers. Such data as socioeconomic status, family stability, primogeniture, and educational level attained by parents are also relevant in predicting female success. Analysis of family determinants concerning successful women, except for a