The Contradiction and the Challenge of the Educated Woman

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The Contradiction and the Challenge of the Educated Woman (Martin, J.R)

Martin explains in this article the challenges that educated women have faced for centuries. Traditional societies have denied women access to equal educational and professional opportunities than men have and assigned traditional roles that interfere with having success in their education and professional life.

The article was written in 1991, and since then conditions for women have improved, especially in many Western countries. However, it’s interesting to realize that, as Martin explains from ancient civilization to great thinkers like Shakespeare, Schopenhauer, Kant and Rousseau society has struggle to understand and accommodate educated women. On the other hand, educated women feel the pressure to acquire men qualities and behaviors to succeed and frustration for not being able to balance their work and life.

Women have been associated with the qualities of care, concern and communications that don’t seem to be helping achieve successful career paths. Martin suggests that the role of the ideal professional (only having male qualities) should be decomposed and so the role of house and family-caring activities.

Innovation in teaching and learning

Martin explained that in 1990, 40% of women were enrolled in higher education, and most did not have the same access to scholarships, higher levels of education or positions of power and receive lower salaries for the same job. However, since then there have been important educational and societal changes/innovation that have benefit marginalized group, including women. Schools have for example, encouraged women to study traditional male-careers (like those in STEM), teachers have become more aware of modern gender-roles and encourage all students to achieve work-life balance, universities have more programs to promote and support women studying higher education. However, as we have seen with movements like Me Too, traditional gender-roles are still present, especially in non-Western cultures, and women still don’t have access to the same career and education opportunities. Martin suggested that by reflecting on why women do not have the same results as men, one can think of innovative ways in which women are treated with equality and motivated to succeed. These changes must rethink our current thinking of gender-role and how the system treats all genders.

Questions for the author

• In the past 30 years, what are the educational strategies and societal reforms that have the best results in achieving equality for women?
• How can educator manage resistance from traditional norms/religion?

Implications for a Business school

• Redefine the role of an ideal business professional, to include traits that have been seen as traditionally female, such as caring, considerate and communication.
• Promote life-work balance for all genders and encourage discussion about gender role biases and ways to achieve equality in the workplace.
• Include more female role models, and innovations made by women in the business arena.
• Encourage women to pursue male traditional business careers and viceversa.

Martin, J.R. (1991). The Contradiction and the Challenge of the Educated Woman. Women's studies quarterly, 19(1/2), 1991-04-01, 6 - 27