Briar Rose is right in saying that women over 50 these days are not criticized for working- and indeed are encouraged to do so by their families and the Government.

Young childless women, married or not, are also encouraged to work by all.
Once the kiddies come along though, that's where the trouble still remains. If the mother stays home to care for the kids, the family income goes down and some fathers often resent the fact that the mother is at home 'doing nothing' and he is paying for this 'holiday'.

On the other hand, mothers who go out to work while the kids are young are said to be 'dumping' their kids in childcare by others, while the fathers encourage them to keep working so they can keep the family income up. Even those women who choose to work because they want to continue their career are made to feel guilty by others.

Damned if they do work and damned if they don't.

Single mothers, whether by choice or by being dumped by the babies fathers, are also much maligned if they 'dump' the kids in childcare while they work. The fathers of these children are not made to feel guilty at all.

If the single mother decides to stay at home and look after the kids, with centrelink's help, then she is accused of having kids to 'make money' from the government.

Damned if they do work and damned if they don't.

The fathers of these children, on the other hand, are pitied by others because they have to pay maintenance for their kids!

Young mothers are still the most disadvantaged females in our society, as far as equality goes. Feminism has not helped them.

Suzanonline,
Single mothers were well catered for in the past.

There were few single mothers.

However, I think you will find that some of the aims of feminism, which include the ellimination of marriage and its replacement with de facto relationships is the main cause of single mothers.

Interesting how few, if any, university academics publicise statistics regards single mothers and de facto relationships.

Feminism, Shmeminism....

Can't resist this quote from novelist, Rebecca West:

"People always call me a feminist when I express opinions which differentiate me from a doormat".

Hi Michellex :)

You make an important point about time lag. I'm in the group to which you refer and recognize exactly what you're saying.

Female inventors: Here's an interesting book about it:

http://www.amazon.com/Mothers-Daughters-Invention-Revised-Technology/dp/0813521971/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281147614&sr=1-1

Apgar tests, which evaluate a baby’s health upon birth/ Virginia Apgar/1952

Circular saw/Tabitha Babbitt/1812
Dishwasher/Josephine Cochran/1872
Disposable diaper/Marion Donovan/1950
Electric hot water heater/Ida Forbes/1917
Elevated railway/Mary Walton/1881
Engine muffler/El Dorado Jones/1917
Fire escape/Anna Connelly/1887
Globes/Ellen Fitz/1875
Ironing board/Sarah Boone/1892
Kevlar (radial tires, crash helmets, and bulletproof vests) Stephanie Kwolek/1966
Life raft/Maria Beaseley/1882
Liquid Paper/Bessie Nesmith/1951
Locomotive chimney/Mary Walton/1879
Medical syringe/Letitia Geer/1899
Paper-bag-making machine/Margaret Knight/1871
Rotary engine/Margaret Knight/1904
Scotchgard™ fabric protector/Patsy O. Sherman/1956
Street-cleaning machine/Florence Parpart/1900
Submarine lamp and telescope/Sarah Mather/1845
Windshield wiper/Mary Anderson/1903

Gertrude Belle Elion developed a range of medications such as drugs to fight cancer.

Women have contributed inventions in engineering, science, agriculture, transport (trains; motor vehicles; alternative transport); food; safety; textiles; printing; computing; communications; military and seafaring.

http://www.women-inventors.com/

A lot of women had to put patents in a male's name; depending on prevailing or local laws preventing women from owning property.

Others didn't have the money to patent or to develop the invention for the market.

Unique: Hiya - enjoyed reading your post too :)

A woman invented the breathalyser. Just as well too because it was used recently in the US to test a drunken woman who rang 911 for a date.

Just goes to show that women are just as smart and just as stupid as men.

Vanna- c'mon admit it; you're not from planet earth are ya. :)

V: Single mothers were well catered for in the past.

P: By whom? There were no social security benefits until relatively recently.

V: There were few single mothers.

P: There were HOMES in major locations to house pregnant girls until they gave birth and the babies were put out for adoption. The homes were to hide the girls' pregnancies and prevent the family being 'shamed.' I remember those homes being full and busy well into the 1970s.

V: <"However, I think you will find that some of the aims of feminism, which include the ellimination of marriage and its replacement with de facto relationships is the main cause of single mothers.">

NO 'philosophy' is going to 'make' someone leave a relationship into which they've entered. If the relationship breaks down it would have anyway. If feminism has provided anything it's been the possibility that women can obtain financial independence, sign contracts to obtain her own premises to live in etc; which allows women to be less financially and socially dependent on a male. A woman no longer qualifies as 'the old ball and chain' when she marries. NOw a man can be sure that a woman stays with him because she wants to and cares about him, rather than because he is the only means she has for basic survival.

V: <"Interesting how few, if any, university academics publicise statistics regards single mothers and de facto relationships.">

Have you actually done any research on this? Government statistics are compiled by people who have university education, for a start.