The 'midlife crisis' has long been thought of as something that afflicts men and often involves red sports cars and trophy wives. But the Wall Street Journal's Work & Family columnist, Sue Shellenbarger, says that as gender roles change, women are increasingly experiencing their own version of these upheavals.
I quote from her book, The Breaking Point: How Female Midlife Crisis is Transforming Today's Women:
"This pattern of female midlife crisis is emerging now because, to put it simply, women are different today. For the first time in history, women not only face more of the kind of stresses that tend to bring on midlife crises, but they also have the financial muscle, the skills and the confidence to act out their frustrations and resolve them. In a sense, women are having midlife crises now because they can."
It's a fact that women today have the financial strength needed to act on midlife rebelliousness. "Nearly one-third of wives now outearn their husbands," writes Shellenbarger, "and the proportion of women earning more than $100,000 tripled in the past decade. All this gives women a sense of freedom at midlife. 'My successful, satisfying career allowed me to be very independent, with a cocky attitude that sparked to a full-blown midlife crisis,' says a California saleswoman in my study." Women also have the skills and resources to make career changes or start their dream businesses at midlife if they wish.
Do you agree or disagree with Ms. Shellenbarger?
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