Because the apparent limits upon feminine achievement are largely cultural, not biological, women should not accept the psychological or sociological limits placed upon their achievement. Despite the sexism present in society, women have still been able to shine. Many years ago, it was said that it was impossible for women to run marathons. Now women run marathons almost as swiftly as males. In 2008, a woman was a viable candidate for the Democratic nomination, while in 1984 the female Vice-Presidential candidate was accused of being too soft and emotional to govern the country. Women have not changed, biologically, in the years since the Second Wave of the feminist movement, instead, culture has changed. And culture must continue to change, and women must continue to take the world by surprise.

This does not mean that women have to be the 'same' as men to prove their worth because female liberation means that both male and feminine values are equally important for society to function. Women should feel as if they have the right to exercise their potential in stereotypically masculine and feminine occupations, to realize their full possibilities as human beings. In fact, one of the possible mistakes of the feminist movement of the 1970s was to stress that for women to work in traditionally male occupations was the only path to liberation. Of course, if a woman wishes to become a lawyer or an engineer, she should be free to do so. But it is also important, to honor the past history of women's accomplishments in the home, and to allow all women to follow their heart's desire. Traditionally feminine roles must also be celebrated. It is because of sexism that occupations such as teaching and nursing are devalued.

Sexism is the result of a failure of imagination, not a reflection of an innate reality. Despite the common "Leave it to Beaver" stereotype of the typical nuclear family that depicts the female of the household as retiring, almost extraneous, women have always worked. Immigrant women worked in factories, women worked as secretaries to support themselves; women worked as teachers and nurses and were poorly paid. Women slaved in backbreaking occupations in the home. But when something is seen as women's work, it is seen as less valuable. Also, women are still not given equal salaries and promotional possibilities because of their gender as men with equal qualifications doing the same job. Recognizing that women are equally capable of achievement is recognizing a long-standing historical reality, not an airy dream. Scrupulous attention to historical fact yields the revelation that women have overcome obstacles in a variety of fields, from the arts to the sciences, from Charlotte Bronte to Marie Curie, to Hillary Clinton. And the vital necessity of the caring professions of nursing, mothering, and teaching calls for society to give this work more financial and social cache.