Did the Feminist Movement Get Us Anywhere?

[Spike89]

36. Major social change is not a binary operation

Even when the core concept is widely agreed upon, change on massive social, behavioral, and emotional levels simple doesn't happen that way. As a man, I understand that many of my expectations, emotions, and attitudes toward my role in life and how I view women and their roles isn't always in synch with what I know and believe intellectually.
For example, although most of my male friends are firmly liberal, I have no doubt that the majority of those men would have complicated feelings about having their wives/girlfriends/etc. make more than them. Ironically, I believe an even higher percentage of their female partners would share those complicated feelings. It isn't an intellectual thing and all of us would undoubtedly say it isn't a big deal, but it IS a deal, even among a random group of progressives in a pretty progressive area. The role of "provider" is something many women still expect a man to assume and most men still feel more comfortable in that role. It is what all of us have grown up with as the societial norm.
So, the answer to the question is a resounding yes! It got us further down the road where the stereotypes and gender roles are not as stark. We are not at the end of the road by any means, but change has occurred and will continue. It is a process. We made progress because some strong women and men fought and railed against the injustices. Just because we can understand that the change doesn't happen with a flick of a switch doesn't mean the fight isn't worth fighting.