I can see the disadvantage for women who do not want to apply themselves, but for the women who have ambitions that lie outside the home, the feminist movement has created and will continue to create wonderful opportunities for them. Women should be granted the same opportunities to excel as are afforded men. We have all worked with a woman who uses her body to get what she wants, although her work could be rated as only average. Most people would conclude that practice was unethical, as it looks over people whose work has been superior to hers. However, I would not dare say that all women resort to this type of behavior, and would not equate it with the feminist movement. If anything, true feminists would look down on her for not earning what she has been given so freely. Also, we cannot forget that men also flirt and use their good looks when a woman is in a position of power over them, in order to get what they want. I use these two examples, because it seems that the men who have the most issues with the advancement of the feminist movement, fear that it will promote the aforementioned behavior.

I would answer Yes to the first question and maybe to the second. Better employment (such as management, executive, and CEO positions) = Yes. Men are still paid more than women for equivalent work. We've taken only the first step, hiring women for positions that used to be men only. From a 2006 survey: http://money.cnn.com/2006/10/03/news/newsmakers/mpwpay/index.htm Downside: other employees might complain that she 'slept' her way to the top. Deeper thoughts: is there a moral difference between a woman who sleeps with the boss to gain a promotion and a male sycophant who becomes the boss's drinking buddy, golf buddy, Notary Club buddy, or health spa buddy? Some guys even join the boss's church. Better employment, in that few jobs today can be advertised as men-only. Downside: She may be expected to prove that she's "as good as a man." A woman can usually enter a bar alone and order a drink w/o being bothered or shunned as a hooker or slut. Downside: Every guy will check her out, hoping she might be a hooker or slut. j/k! :) I believe that most of these downsides have softened or disappeared over the last 50 years. Women work in all trades, including the armed forces. Downside: 50 years ago, our economic family lives were designed for a single income. Daddy went to work; mommy stayed home. Now, for some mysterious reason, families with kids need two incomes just to survive. How did that happen? <shrug> Expectations: (1) I think the toughest expectations are with the lowest-paying jobs, where everybody (both genders) is expected to produce at an insane pace; (2) Some jobs are harder on women than men, such as raising a family while pursuing an outside career. However, things may be changing. In more enlightened households, husband & wife share or switch the old roles, such as staying home with sick baby, washing clothes, cleaning house, cooking, shopping. Some things never change. See Wonder Woman, below. Women who can use a computer have access to even better jobs. See 2nd image, below. ________________________

The biggest downfall I see of it is that it is no longer a woman's choice to work. A woman must work unless her husband brings in an above average income or they have money. Otherwise, they will struggle financially if the woman chooses her family over a career/job.

i think the downfall of the feminist movement may likely be the election of sarah palin.

Of course it has resulted in improvement in all of those arenas. Women wouldn't have even had the right to vote if it were not for feminists, who are the only reason women have enjoyed the increasing rights and freedoms they have. It's not as if they would have just been handed those, just as blacks had to fight the civil rights movement for their increasing rights. There is still a long way to go, women still get underpaid for the same work and on average make less across the board despite education, yet the only reason these things continue to move forward and will do so even more is because women have continued to fight. It's the untrue stereotypes of feminism such as the man-hating and lesbianism that if anything are creating false illusions as to the movement and it's goals.