The Ultimate Price of Success:
Femininity by Vanessa Halloum
A
lthough the world of business has long
science classes that Harvard and Princeton
been seen as the world of men, more
did and the students graduated with a
and more women are entering it than ever
rigorous reputation attached to their
before. Historically, the highest position
degrees, finding employment in science
the average intelligent woman could hope
and engineering fields was a different feat.
to achieve was a job working as a secretary
Even when we could acquire the education
or assistant for a male boss with no hopes
to enter business and male-dominated
of promotions or being able to ascend the
fields, we would still often not be able to
professional ladder. Although there were
find a male boss who would hire us for
universities in the United States dedicated
anything other than a secretary.
purely to all-women education, many of them simply made girls more marriageable
Today, women make up more than half
to wealthy men instead of giving them
of the American workforce and more
better employment opportunities.
and more women are starting their own businesses that go on to become
In the United States, schools like Wellesley
successful. Many of us are joining already
College and Bryn Mawr College served to
thriving businesses and finding ourselves
give women the same education as their
reaching high positions due to our own
Ivy League brother schools did for men at
qualifications and merits. This is an exciting
the time. However, in spite of the equality
time for us!
in education, things were still challenging women.
However, this shift is not without its own
Although these all-women universities
set of challenges and limitations. Over
offered us the same rigorous math and
and over again, we see women who move
for
professionally
ambitious
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