the heart of the backlash argument: women are better off 'protected' than equal.

Self-esteem is the basis for feminism because self-esteem is based on defining yourself and believing in that definition. Self-esteem is regarding yourself as a grown-up.

Gender is really varied and complicated and sort of infinitely individualistic.

All of women's aspirations--whether for education, work, or any form of self-determination--ultimately rest on their ability to decide whether and when to bear children. For this reason, reproductive freedom has always been the most popular item in each of the successive feminist agendas--and the most heavily assaulted target of each backlash.

the central argument of the backlash - that women's equality is responsible for women's unhappiness.

My goal is to be accused of being strident.

As it turns out, social scientists have established only one fact about single women's mental health: employment improves it.