changing aspirations and ambitions- home and society

Liberal Feminists also argue that girls’ ambitions and attitudes have changed significantly over the last 50 years, and this has had a significant influence on their educational achievements. This can be as a result of Feminism and shifting social attitudes towards motherhood and marriage.

Sharpe acknowledged the fact that women are now changing the way they view their life stages. Many women now consider a career to be just as important as a family.

Sharpe did 2 interviews one in 1976 and one in 1994 where she asked women what they prioritised most at this point of time as well as the future

in 1976 Sharpe noted that women prioritised marriage, husbands, love and children. However, in 1994 women had changed and began to priories their jobs and future in career

Additionally, Wilkinson refers to the changing role and attitudes of women as a ‘genderquake’, meaning women no longer prioritise marriage and children as much as they have done in the past. With more women in work and financially independent, it allows for women to have a solid career before moving into family life, (which includes the option of having children alone or seeking a divorce.)

Evaluation

1. Radical Feminists would argue that even though girls may have greater ambitions and may overall be achieving more highly than in the past, they are still more likely to be choosing/steered towards gendered subjects, so these attitude changes are not as dramatic as Sharpe suggests.

2. Marxist Feminists also argue that women are more likely to have to face a “dual burden” or “triple shift” as a result of them working outside the home. This means that the changes in education and the workplace do not necessarily have a positive impact on women’s quality of life. Also, Sharpe’s study was only based on a small sample of girls, who were all working class and from London. This is not representative of the wider population, based on class, ethnic group or location.