Feminism wrought great changes for women: it secured the right to vote, equal pay, and civil and political rights. But studies show that as the years have gone by since the early feminist movement, women have reported lower and lower levels of happiness. This has led to the question: Has feminism always protected women’s interests, or has it gotten off track in striving for change?

Mona Charen sets out to answer this question by taking a look not only at contemporary feminism, but also feminist history. She explores whether demanding equality is the same as demanding sameness, or whether equality requires respecting and celebrating the differences between people. What are women’s interests, and what makes women happy and fulfilled? In answering these questions, she examines the ideas of such authors as Mary Wollstonecraft, John Stuart Mill, Germaine Greer, and Betty Friedan. Charen looks at their conclusions in light of contemporary studies and statistics to show where these thinkers were right – and where they went wrong.