Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Fear not, smart women
Washington Times ^ | 11/16/06 | Shelley Widhalm

Posted on 11/16/2006 7:07:33 AM PST by qam1

Those who say that men don't like women with brains and careers are misleading women, says New York columnist Christine B. Whelan, author of "Why Smart Men Marry Smart Women," published this year.

Ms. Whelan, 29, says she wrote the book, in part, to respond to New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd's claim in her 2005 book "Are Men Necessary?" that success decreases a woman's chance for marriage.

"This isn't good news," Ms. Whelan said about reading the book when she was single and had just finished her doctoral degree in economic and social history. "The social scientist in me knew better than to accept this conventional wisdom without doing research of my own."

Ms. Whelan researched U.S. Census Bureau data, commissioned a national opinion survey and conducted interviews with more than 100 high-achieving men and women in nine cities to gather material for her book. What she found was that high-achieving women -- women with graduate degrees and/or an income in the top 10 percent of women in their age group -- married at the same rate as all other women did, but later in life, and that outdated information and misinterpreted statistics had women believing otherwise.

She calls these women SWANS, or Strong Women Achievers, No Spouse

The statistics Ms. Whelan provides in her book show that American women marry by an average age of 30 if they have a graduate degree, the median age for all women to marry is 25, and 90 percent of women marry by 44.

"Ms. Dowd is painting the wrong picture for our generation," Ms. Whelan said, adding that Ms. Dowd was right in saying that prior to the 1980s, it was more difficult for smart, successful women to get married and have children............

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News
KEYWORDS: genx; maureendowd; whelan
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 121-126 next last
To: edpc
She calls these women SWANS, or Strong Women Achievers, No Spouse
Bitches was already taken.
(Easy ladies....just joking)

Good, cuz I was going to have to come over there and pound ya otherwise.
Just kidding

61 posted on 11/16/2006 9:16:10 AM PST by GretchenM (What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? Please meet my friend, Jesus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Xenalyte
His voice is just magnificent.

(And he's just way good-lookin'.)

Those, too! ;-)

But I've gotta confess that it's the intelligence factor that I like.

All the rest is just icing on the cake.

62 posted on 11/16/2006 9:17:23 AM PST by pax_et_bonum (I will always love you, Flyer.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: RatRipper

Well, happy birthday, Rat! Don't give up. Miss Right will come along when you least expect it. There ARE still some good women out there....don't settle for anything less!


63 posted on 11/16/2006 9:21:29 AM PST by derllak
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: RatRipper
"Good women with some social skills and a little class are hard to find."

Try the Midwest. The melting pot of the down-home New England transplants. :)~

64 posted on 11/16/2006 9:22:36 AM PST by Earthdweller (All reality is based on faith in something.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: M. Dodge Thomas
All I know is that being married to a smart woman has been good for my health, my finances, and my love life.

My husband is currently renovating our bathroom. I'm sure, at this moment, he'd rather have a woman who can install a toilet rather than proofread his business letters, but, we can't have it all, can we? LOL!

65 posted on 11/16/2006 9:24:59 AM PST by Dianna
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: JennysCool
The problem is, many women just don't know the difference between strength and bitchery.

Furthermore, many people do not know the difference between educated and intelligent. Quite frankly, what often passes for education these days, even at the Phd level, is garbage, yet many people think that, because they have this made-up degree, they are now geniuses.

We then get articles on this kind of subject, which say that men don't like smart women, etc. etc., when what is really happening is that many women are becoming convinced that they are brilliant, and assume an accordingly condescending attitude, when in reality they are just indoctrinated idiots. Truly intelligent women are no less attractive than the dumber ones, assuming all other factors are equal.
66 posted on 11/16/2006 9:25:55 AM PST by fr_freak
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: qam1
I love women with brilliant minds- especially when their minds are in the gutter.
67 posted on 11/16/2006 9:39:10 AM PST by JAWs (Ytringsfrihed er ytringsfrihed er ytringsfrihed. Der er intet men.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fr_freak
"We then get articles on this kind of subject, which say that men don't like smart women, etc. etc., when what is really happening is that many women are becoming convinced that they are brilliant, and assume an accordingly condescending attitude, when in reality they are just indoctrinated idiots."

True. Some of the University inhabitants I know couldn't survive off campus without an interpretor. Sadly, some of them are family members that we have been unable to deprogram.

68 posted on 11/16/2006 9:39:32 AM PST by Earthdweller (All reality is based on faith in something.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: qam1

69 posted on 11/16/2006 9:54:50 AM PST by stacytec (Nihilism, its whats for dinner)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: qam1

Usually if a woman tells you she's a strong woman, they're very insecure. I always challenge them to arm wrestle.


70 posted on 11/16/2006 9:57:50 AM PST by word_warrior_bob
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fr_freak

On GMA this morning, a little girl in the audience was asked (the answer was already known) where she was from. She said "Southfield." "And what state is that in?" was the next question. She wasn't sure.

The next question was why she was in NYC - her mother, standing behind her, said, "Because she got straight A's."


71 posted on 11/16/2006 10:08:26 AM PST by Rte66
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: Earthdweller

That's OK - one university last week passed a rule that it was now OK to use "texting" language on exams and in papers. U no - LOL


72 posted on 11/16/2006 10:10:54 AM PST by Rte66
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: word_warrior_bob
Usually if a woman tells you she's a strong woman, they're very insecure.

Well, sure - those are code words. Nobody, man or woman, brags about how "strong and independent" they are unless they are full of self-doubt.

The most intelligent and high-achieving professional woman I know is such a sweetheart you would never guess what she does for a living unless she told you. And most of the women I've known who fit the "Amazon bitch" mold (and there really aren't many) are borderline incompetent, and they try to bully people to cover that up.

73 posted on 11/16/2006 10:14:16 AM PST by Mr. Jeeves ("When the government is invasive, the people are wanting." -- Tao Te Ching)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies]

To: Mr. Jeeves

EXACTLY!


74 posted on 11/16/2006 10:17:09 AM PST by word_warrior_bob
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 73 | View Replies]

To: HungarianGypsy

From the Jimmy Buffett school of thought:

*I'm looking for a smart woman in a very short skirt.*


75 posted on 11/16/2006 10:17:52 AM PST by Rte66
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]

To: Dianna
I'm sure, at this moment, he'd rather have a woman who can install a toilet rather than proofread his business letters, but, we can't have it all, can we? LOL!

I dono’ – my wife proofreads my reports and can not only install a toilet, she’s willing to help pull out a used one at a demolition sale... a MUCH nastier job. But then, she’s a remarkable woman – that’s why I married her.

76 posted on 11/16/2006 10:22:27 AM PST by M. Dodge Thomas (More of the same, only with more zeros at the end.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 65 | View Replies]

To: Rte66
Oh goodness, that's sad. Almost 30 years later, I still remember one of my Kindergarten classmates who didn't know his own last name. Even at age 5 or 6, I could scarcely believe it.
77 posted on 11/16/2006 10:35:34 AM PST by Huntress (Proud owner of Norman/Norma, the transsexual attack cat.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

Comment #78 Removed by Moderator

To: Rte66

ROTFLMAO. I wonder if that will be satisfactory. lol.


Here is an example of the new language that is being used more and more:


Sorry I forgot to phone you. I will see you tomorrow'

becomes

soz i 4gt 2 fon u.i c u 2moz (I can't even imagine using this in school). No wonder kids can't read).


79 posted on 11/16/2006 11:59:38 AM PST by napscoordinator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: John Williams

"I saw nothing wrong with the comment. So quit being so crabby about it."

Ooooooh, ok. As long as YOU saw nothing wrong with it, then it's ok. I was waiting for you to weigh in on it, now I know what to think.


80 posted on 11/16/2006 12:12:23 PM PST by brownsfan (It's not a war on terror... it's a war with islam.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100 ... 121-126 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson