The Traveler

Issue date: 3/5/04 Section: Lifestyles

Media Credit: Dusty Higgins

Today it is OK for a woman to tell a boss what's on her mind, to have that second cat and to choose not to be in a relationship. But how far has she truly come - and what does the future hold for the students of today, which in turn will become the women of tomorrow?

Though the feminist movement has been raging since the 1960s, it is now in the new millennium that people are beginning to openly embrace and even push for the lifestyle of the "modern woman."

Every day, new ground is being broken and women are getting further and further away from those that came before them. Even in the last 10 years there have been significant changes.

But what has caused the modern woman's current state - is it pop culture and a changing society, or have women just learned from the mistakes of their mothers and the women before them?

STUDENT OPINIONS

"The modern woman sees herself as a unique individual first and foremost - family, friends, success and career fulfillment are all byproducts of knowing oneself first," said Rebecca Stubbs, a senior international business major, adding that marriage and partnership have become increasingly unsuccessful ventures.

"Today's modern and savvy woman is right to be cautious in entering a relationship with such a high probability of failure - this is not necessarily a good or bad trend, it's simply a result of our shifting culture," Stubbs said.

UA students are among a new generation of young people coming into a world of change and choice. For women, it couldn't get any better - or could it?

"The modern woman is constantly striving to improve her place in society," sophomore Marla Ladue said. "Even though improvements have been made, equality in all aspects has not been achieved. Stereotypes still remain however much we are led to believe that equality has been achieved."

NEW OPPORTUNITIES

Susan Marren, professor and chair of the UA Gender Studies Program, said feminism is a strong force today because young women don't have the same resistance that women before had - making it possible to have both a career and a family.

"You'd hope the modern woman sees herself as having choices in education, professional direction and marriage - but how many women actually have those choices opens up that question," Marren said.

Women also seem to have stopped competing over men so much as they compete over jobs and opportunity.

Continued...

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