In the past fifty years, the success of women has been increasingly climbing.   More opportunities than ever before are now available to women and they are taking full advantage.  Women now make up the majority of college classrooms and are beginning to obtain more masters and doctoral degrees than ever before. It is obvious that women are shedding the stigma of housewives and homemakers and are establishing themselves as powerful entities in their careers.  As women’s success in the workplace continues to grow, the question is, “Can they have a family as well as a career?” Can women really have it all?
If you asked the same question fifty years ago, the answer would be “No”. In today’s society, however, it appears as though women really can have it all. In 2012, Yahoo hired Marissa Mayer as the company’s new CEO, making her the youngest CEO of a fortune 500 company in the world.  She received a bachelors and master’s degree from Stanford University, and received her doctoral degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology. She later went on to work for Google as the company’s first female engineer, and now holds the position prestigious position of CEO at Yahoo.
Currently, Yahoo is working to relaunch their website and the design concept for the new and improved webpage is being spearheaded by Mayer herself.  She is a mogul and has definitely helped pave the way for women in the Internet industry.  It is obvious that Marissa has success in her professional life, but she also has success in her home life as well. Mayer is married to husband, Zachary Bogue, and on September 30, 2012, she gave birth to their son, Macallister.
Marissa Mayer is living proof that women can have success in their careers and have a prosperous home and family life as well.  As women’s accomplishments begin to be noticed, and as they thrive in all aspects of their lives, the possibilities for women in the future are endless. The idea that a woman can only achieve success in one aspect of their life simply no longer exists.  As the times change so does the attitude of society regarding women’s prosperity.  Whether it be success in the office or in the home, it is beginning to hold true that women truly can have it all.
What do you think? Can women really have it all?
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Ashley Puchalski is currently a freshman Social Work and Women Studies major at the University of Pittsburgh. She is very interested in impacting social change to better her community and plans to continue mentoring and working with SWSG for years to come.