--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The closer we get to achieving equality…" description: "\"The closer we get to achieving equality of opportunity between the sexes, the more clearly we can see that the next major obstacle to improving the wel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/stephanie-coontz-3365_economic-inequality_the-closer-we-get-to-achieving-equality_240141.jpg" --- # The closer we get to achieving equality of opportunity… ![“The closer we get to achieving equality of opportunity between the sexes, the more clearly we can see that the next major obstacle to improving the well-being of most men and women is the growing socioeconomic inequality within each sex.” quote by Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/stephanie-coontz-3365_economic-inequality_the-closer-we-get-to-achieving-equality_240141.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/stephanie-coontz-3365_economic-inequality_the-closer-we-get-to-achieving-equality_240141.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/stephanie-coontz-3365_economic-inequality_the-closer-we-get-to-achieving-equality_240141.jpg) > “The closer we get to achieving equality of opportunity between the sexes, the more clearly we can see that the next major obstacle to improving the well-being of most men and women is the growing socioeconomic inequality within each sex.” [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Gender equality reveals deeper economic gaps within each gender, highlighting rising inequality as a new challenge. **In simple terms:** Equality shows hidden wealth gaps between men and women. Key Takeaway Address socioeconomic disparity alongside gender parity. Themes gender equality economic inequality social policy intersectionality wealth gap Mood concerned analytical hopeful Type academic policy sociological When to use this quote - public policy - academic research - gender studies - economic planning Key Concepts structural inequality policy reform social justice Questions to Reflect On - How can policies target both gender and economic gaps? - What hidden inequalities persist in your community? A Different Perspective Focusing only on gender may ignore class and race factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Economic inequality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-inequality/) [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Equality of opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality-of-opportunity/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men and women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-and-women/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) ## Related quotes > [There’s no tipping point where you become what you are. Character development starts when you’re growing up. Your socioeconomic background contributes. The attitude that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-clarett/there-s-no-tipping-point-where-you-become-what-you-are-character/) Maurice Clarett > [That is what is most special about achieving equality - the positive signal that it will send the world over to the next generation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/that-is-what-is-most-special-about-achieving-equality-the-positive/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [A two-parent family based on love and commitment can be a wonderful thing, but historically speaking the "two-parent paradigm" has left an extraordinary amount…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/a-two-parent-family-based-on-love-and-commitment-can-be-a-wonderful/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [The benefits of feminism have been unequally distributed, because the move toward gender equality and gender neutrality has been countered to a large extent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/the-benefits-of-feminism-have-been-unequally-distributed-because-the/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [“We also need to understand that white supremacy is at the heart of the problem—not just a racially associated economic inequality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-bond/we-also-need-to-understand-that-white-supremacy-is-at-the-heart-of/) [Becky Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-bond/) > [Man must choose whether to be rich in things or in the freedom to use them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-illich/man-must-choose-whether-to-be-rich-in-things-or-in-the-freedom-to-use/) [Ivan Illich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-illich/) > [Every dollar that the boss did not work for, one of us worked for a dollar and didn't get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-c-dudley/every-dollar-that-the-boss-did-not-work-for-one-of-us-worked-for-a/) William C. Dudley > [Our cause is a common one. It is war between poverty and wealth. ... This moneyed power is fast eating up the substance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-sylvis/our-cause-is-a-common-one-it-is-war-between-poverty-and-wealth-this/) William H. Sylvis > [“… our nation's truly critical problems are built into the very structure of the economic and political system; they are not something passing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/our-nation-s-truly-critical-problems-are-built-into-the-very/) [Gar Alperovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/) > [Grave security concerns can arise as a result of demographic trends, chronic poverty, economic inequality, environmental degradation, pandemic diseases, organized crime, repressive governance and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/grave-security-concerns-can-arise-as-a-result-of-demographic-trends/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [A society that gives to one class all the opportunities for leisure, and to another all the burdens of work, dooms both classes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/a-society-that-gives-to-one-class-all-the-opportunities-for-leisure/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [“Conant was concerned that the “particular functions” that might be assigned to young people would be dictated by the economic conditions of their families,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-roth/conant-was-concerned-that-the-particular-functions-that-might-be/) Michael S. Roth > [“The economic consequences of these policies have been the same just about everywhere, and exactly what one would expect: a massive increase in social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-economic-consequences-of-these-policies-have-been-the-same-just/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The essential point here is that all people with small, insecure incomes are in the same boat and ought to be fighting on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-essential-point-here-is-that-all-people-with-small-insecure/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“The rich run a global system that allows them to accumulate capital and pay the lowest possible price for labour. The freedom that results…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-moore/the-rich-run-a-global-system-that-allows-them-to-accumulate-capital/) [Charles Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-moore/) ## More by Stephanie Coontz > [As an overly confident college freshman, the first time I received a below-average score on an exam was a needed wake-up call.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/as-an-overly-confident-college-freshman-the-first-time-i-received-a/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [For every nineteenth-century middle-class family that protected its wife and child within the family circle, there was an Irish ora German girl scrubbing floors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/for-every-nineteenth-century-middle-class-family-that-protected-its/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [A primary motivation for introducing no-fault divorce was, in fact, to reduce perjury in the legal system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/a-primary-motivation-for-introducing-no-fault-divorce-was-in-fact-to/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [Graduating from high school is certainly a good idea, but it's no longer much protection against poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/graduating-from-high-school-is-certainly-a-good-idea-but-it-s-no/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [Almost all scholarly research carries practical and political implications. Better that we should spell these out ourselves than leave that task to people with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/almost-all-scholarly-research-carries-practical-and-political/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [Investing in living-wage jobs and reducing the inequities between local school districts would give young people more, not less, incentive to postpone childbearing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/investing-in-living-wage-jobs-and-reducing-the-inequities-between/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [Hyper-parenting has many pitfalls. Overprotected and overpraised children may develop an inflated sense of entitlement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/hyper-parenting-has-many-pitfalls-overprotected-and-overpraised/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [Social and economic policies constructed around the male breadwinner model have always disadvantaged women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/social-and-economic-policies-constructed-around-the-male-breadwinner/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [When I speak on work-family issues to audiences around the country, some of the biggest complaints I hear come from individuals who are described…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/when-i-speak-on-work-family-issues-to-audiences-around-the-country/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [Extended families have never been the norm in America; the highest figure for extended-family households ever recorded in Americanhistory is 20 percent. Contrary to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/extended-families-have-never-been-the-norm-in-america-the-highest/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [Unilateral divorce has decreased the bargaining power of the person who wants the marriage to last and has not engaged in behavior that meets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/unilateral-divorce-has-decreased-the-bargaining-power-of-the-person/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [Families have always been in flux and often in crisis; they have never lived up to nostalgic notions about "the way things used tobe."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/families-have-always-been-in-flux-and-often-in-crisis-they-have-never/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [A significant minority of senior women I've interviewed say, 'Love the companionship, glad to live with him, but I spent my first marriage picking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/a-significant-minority-of-senior-women-i-ve-interviewed-say-love-the/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [Marriage can provide a bounty of emotional, practical, and financial support. But finding the right mate is no substitute for having friends and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/marriage-can-provide-a-bounty-of-emotional-practical-and-financial/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [The origins of modern marital instability lie largely in the triumph of what many people believe to be marriage's traditional role - providing love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/the-origins-of-modern-marital-instability-lie-largely-in-the-triumph/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) [Explore all 132 Stephanie Coontz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) ## More Economic inequality quotes > [“The rich run a global system that allows them to accumulate capital and pay the lowest possible price for labour. The freedom that results…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-moore/the-rich-run-a-global-system-that-allows-them-to-accumulate-capital/) [Charles Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-moore/) > [The essential point here is that all people with small, insecure incomes are in the same boat and ought to be fighting on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-essential-point-here-is-that-all-people-with-small-insecure/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“The economic consequences of these policies have been the same just about everywhere, and exactly what one would expect: a massive increase in social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-economic-consequences-of-these-policies-have-been-the-same-just/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“Conant was concerned that the “particular functions” that might be assigned to young people would be dictated by the economic conditions of their families,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-roth/conant-was-concerned-that-the-particular-functions-that-might-be/) Michael S. Roth > [A society that gives to one class all the opportunities for leisure, and to another all the burdens of work, dooms both classes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/a-society-that-gives-to-one-class-all-the-opportunities-for-leisure/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [Grave security concerns can arise as a result of demographic trends, chronic poverty, economic inequality, environmental degradation, pandemic diseases, organized crime, repressive governance and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/grave-security-concerns-can-arise-as-a-result-of-demographic-trends/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [“… our nation's truly critical problems are built into the very structure of the economic and political system; they are not something passing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gar-alperovitz/our-nation-s-truly-critical-problems-are-built-into-the-very/) [Gar Alperovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gar-alperovitz/) > [Our cause is a common one. It is war between poverty and wealth. ... This moneyed power is fast eating up the substance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-sylvis/our-cause-is-a-common-one-it-is-war-between-poverty-and-wealth-this/) William H. Sylvis > [Every dollar that the boss did not work for, one of us worked for a dollar and didn't get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-c-dudley/every-dollar-that-the-boss-did-not-work-for-one-of-us-worked-for-a/) William C. Dudley > [Man must choose whether to be rich in things or in the freedom to use them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-illich/man-must-choose-whether-to-be-rich-in-things-or-in-the-freedom-to-use/) [Ivan Illich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-illich/) > [“We also need to understand that white supremacy is at the heart of the problem—not just a racially associated economic inequality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-bond/we-also-need-to-understand-that-white-supremacy-is-at-the-heart-of/) [Becky Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-bond/) > [Solving the population problem is not going to solve the problems of racism, of sexism, of religious intolerance, of war, of gross economic inequality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-r-ehrlich/solving-the-population-problem-is-not-going-to-solve-the-problems-of/) [Paul R. Ehrlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-r-ehrlich/) > [The tech-driven economy leads to a two-tier job market where workers are either critical or 'commodity.' This divisive 'winner-take-all' mentality hurts most Americans and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-steyer/the-tech-driven-economy-leads-to-a-two-tier-job-market-where-workers/) [Tom Steyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-steyer/) > [God, how patient are Thy poor! These corporations and masters of manipulation in finance heaping up great fortunes by a system of legalized extortion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-how-patient-are-thy-poor-these-corporations-and-masters-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“On average, the real incomes of middle-class families have grown twice as fast under Democrats as they have under Republicans, while the real incomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-m-bartels/on-average-the-real-incomes-of-middle-class-families-have-grown-twice/) [Larry M. Bartels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-m-bartels/) [Browse all 108 Economic inequality quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-inequality/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The closer we get to achieving equality of opportunity between the sexes, the more clearly we can see that the next major obstacle to improving the well-being of most men and women is the growing socioeconomic inequality within each sex.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephanie Coontz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/the-closer-we-get-to-achieving-equality-of-opportunity-between-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Economic inequality" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/the-closer-we-get-to-achieving-equality-of-opportunity-between-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/stephanie-coontz-3365_economic-inequality_the-closer-we-get-to-achieving-equality_240141.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/stephanie-coontz-3365_economic-inequality_the-closer-we-get-to-achieving-equality_240141.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f0/stephanie-coontz-3365_economic-inequality_the-closer-we-get-to-achieving-equality_240141.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The closer we get to achieving equality of opportunity between the sexes, the more clearly we can see that…” — Stephanie Coontz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Stephanie Coontz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The closer we get to achieving...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/the-closer-we-get-to-achieving-equality-of-opportunity-between-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/the-closer-we-get-to-achieving-equality-of-opportunity-between-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```