Overall, the rights and status of women have improved considerably in the last century; however, gender equality has recently been threatened within the last decade. Blatantly sexist laws and practices are slowly being eliminated while social perceptions of "women's roles" continue to stagnate and even degrade back to traditional ideals. It is these social perceptions that challenge the evolution of women as equal on all levels. Subtle and blantant sexism continues to exist throughout educational, economic, professional and legal arenas.
Women who carefully follow their expected roles may never recognize sexism as an oppressive force in their life. Today's society expects women to fulfill certain roles. Those roles completely disregarded the needs of education and motivated business and scientific women. The subtle message that society gave was that the educated woman was actually selfish and evil. I have often consulted my great grandmother about her experience and I find her historical perspective enlightening. My grandmother through growing up during a time when women had few social rights, said she didn't experience oppressive sexism in her life. However, when she describes her life accomplishments, I feel she has spent most of her life fulfilling the expected roles of women instead of pursuing goals that were mostly reserved for men. Unknowingly, her life was controlled by traditional, sexist values prevalent in her time and still prevalent in the ninties.
Twenty four years ago the Supreme Court decided whether women should have a right to an abortion. This decision was made in favour of womens rights mostly because the court made a progressive decision to consider the woman as a human who may be motivated by other things in life rather than just being a mother. Justice Blackmun delivered the following opinion.
Maternity, or additional offspring, may force upon the woman a distressful life and future.