they interact with each other and with eachperson's unique essence to affect human behavior. To accord with the reality ofthis complex interplay of factors, and to accord with an increasingly complexexternal world, feminists ask simply for options in life styles.Those stuck in sexism, however, cannot grant even the simple request to ask whywomen are inferior. The reason sexism exists at all is because of anacculturation process which subtly creates it, and it is perpetuated in part forthat reason and also because perceived changes in the roles and status of womencreate a backlash based on fear of change.Surveys have shown that identical resumes or scholarly articles arerated lower if the applicant is though to be a woman rather than a man: "Man'ssuccess is more likely to be attributed to ability and woman's to luck." Whileadvances have been made over the last decade, the challenge remains for the next,and "as long as women constitute small minorities in nontraditional employmentcontexts, substantial obstacles will remain." The women in the workplace mustwork harder to succeed than their male counterparts, and once they havesucceeded they have to deal with the envy and anxiety this arouses. Women whodo not advance only confirm the stereotype for others:The perception remains that women can't make it by conventionalstandards, or are less committed to doing so. In either event, they donot seem to warrant the same investment in training, assistance,and promotion opportunities as their male counterparts.Feminist theorists have been calling for some time for a change in thepolitical climate. They want more than just more women in office and thepolitical arena; they want a new type of political thinking, one that empowerspeople rather than government and that addresses the issues that are ofimportance to men and women:If we can eliminate the false polarities and appreciate the limits andtrue potential of women's power, we will be a...
