[lbo-talk] women "opting out"?

Michael Pollak mpollak at panix.com
Wed Mar 15 23:26:08 PST 2006


On Wed, 15 Mar 2006, the NYT was quoted


> March 15, 2006/New York TIMES
>
> Op-Ed Contributor
> Working It Out
> By CLAUDIA GOLDIN
>
> Cambridge, Mass.
>
> HIGHLY educated women are getting a bum rap from the press. There has
> recently been a spate of news and opinion articles telling us that
> these women, especially graduates of the best universities and
> professional schools, are "opting out" in record numbers, choosing the
> comforts of home and family over careers.
>
> And because there are now 1.33 women graduating from college for every
> man, the best and brightest women will either have to "marry down" or,
> more likely, we are told, remain single.

This article marshalls a lot of evidence against the idea that women are opting out of careers or staying single. But it doesn't address at all the idea that they are marrying down -- which would seem mathematically inescapable if the 1.33 figure is correct, and on the face of it, seemingly a significant change. Has anyone seen this discussed anywhere else?

Michael



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