Episode 9 with Dr. Christine Whelan
Dr. Christine Whelan is a clinical professor in the School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She is the author of several books including Why Smart Men Marry Smart Women and Generation WTF.
Our discussion, however, focuses on an article her mother wrote forty years ago, entitled Confessions of a Superwoman. With Dr. Whelan, we explore the reality, the myth, and why superwoman is still the goal.
From Dr. Whelan’s Website:
Christine comes by it honestly… she was born to study and write about social trends. Her parents announced her birth as the answer to the questions her mother, Dr. Elizabeth Whelan, had posed in her two bestselling books: A Baby…Maybe? and Boy or Girl? Indeed, when Christine was born, even Newsweek magazine took notice.
And by the age of eight, Christine was already a media “star.” She hosted a nationally syndicated radio show called “No Kidding,” a health talk show for kids, by kids. Feel free to tease her about these facts when you meet her.
Oh, and then there’s this gem: Written by Christine’s mother in 1980, this article, Confessions of a Superwoman, is quite a social commentary of motherhood, success and the quest for work-life balance. Christine is in the process of figuring out how she might write a followup. She’d hoped to have some thoughts by December 2020 for the 40th anniversary, but she’s still pondering. Give her a few more years and she’ll have it all figured out … maybe … for the 50th anniversary of this piece.
Further Reading:
Christine Whelan’s Books:
Why Smart Men Marry Smart Women (2006)
Marry Smart: The Intelligent Woman’s Guide to True Love (2008)
The Big Picture: A Guide to Finding Your Purpose in Life (2016)
Finding Your Purpose Audio Book (2021)
More Articles:
Why We Really Need to Stop Calling People ‘Superwomxn’” (Shape.com, January 2021)
“A lesson in work-life balance from multi-tasking moms in the events industry” (Everything Experiential, May 2018)
“A working mom’s quarantine life” (Washington Post, May 2020)
"Soft Power Not Superwoman: Why Leaders Need A Well Of Emotional Strength Rather Than Stamina” (Forbes, November 2020)
“Mothers Are Drowning in Stress” (Psychology Today, March 2019)
“Mental health expert Sheila Robinson-Kiss: 5 ways to reclaim your work-life balance” (NBC, January 2020)
“Striking the Right Balance as a Mompreneur” (Entrepreneur.com, July 2020)
“The Rise of Superwoman Syndrome to Working Mom during The Covid Era” (Thriveglobal.com, April 2020)
“Are You Feeling the Pressure of ‘Superwoman Squeeze?’" (Western NY Family Magazine, April 2019)
“Superwoman Is the Worst Role Model for Working Moms” (NicoleLapin.com)
“Is There a Doctor in the White House? Not if You Need an M.D.” (Wall Street Journal, December 2020)
“Biden Team Response To Controversial Op-Ed 'Clearly A Political Strategy,' Editor Says” (NPR, Decemeber 2020)
“An Opinion Writer Argued Jill Biden Should Drop the ‘Dr.’ (Few Were Swayed.)” (New York Times, December 2020)
“Joseph Epstein Called Dr. Jill Biden ‘Kiddo’ — A Look At How Misogyny Can Affect Mental Health” (Forbes.com, December 2020)
"Joseph Epstein Is Right about the ‘Dr.’ Problem” (National Review, December 2020)
“For women with doctoral degrees, the WSJ op-ed about Jill Biden was no surprise: ‘We are always questioned’" (TheLily.com, December 2020)