Feminist Progress: The Implications of Women in Power and the

Abstract

In this paper, I analyze the "have it all" mentality and discuss whether women can be successful both personally and professionally. I question whether Hillary Clinton’s potential run for presidential office in 2016 will enforce the idea that women can advance into high power professions. I then discuss Sheryl Sandberg’s lean in theory and describe her three suggestions for women to find happiness in their personal and professional lives. Next, I emphasize the struggles women face when attempting to balance their work and home lives, through utilizing research studies and articles. Then, I consider the confidence gap between men and women and explore why such a gap exists. Finally, I suggest that women simply cannot have it all in today’s society, as structural, social, and physical forces act against women in their pursuit of balancing their personal and professional lives.