The Atlantic's 'Women can't have it all' manifesto: The backlash

A former aide to Hillary Clinton sparks a passionate debate over an age-old question: Can women fulfill their professional ambitions and raise a happy family?

The July/August cover story of "The Atlantic"
(Image credit: Facebook.com/The Atlantic)

Anne-Marie Slaughter, a former aide to Hillary Clinton, looks back on her 18 months at the State Department in the current issue of The Atlantic, and comes to a contentious conclusion: Women definitely can't have it all. Slaughter describes the agony of trying make the best of her "foreign-policy dream job" in Washington, D.C., while commuting every weekend to her home in Princeton, N.J., where her rebellious teenage son appeared to be spiraling out of control. Slaughter lays the blame for her conundrum squarely at the door of feminism, saying the movement misled women into believing that they could have a high-powered career and a family. Slaughter's manifesto quickly became the most-read article in the history of The Atlantic's website, and has sparked lengthy responses across the internet. While many praised her for her honesty, Slaughter also incited a remarkable backlash. Here, five ways critics say Slaughter missed the mark:

1. Feminists don't claim that "women can have it all"

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