FYI the “bra burning” stuff is mostly just myth.
I find it weird that you would be unaware that around the time the novel was written (and basically when it seems to be set), it was a “man’s world” in a lot of ways. All the presidents up to that point were men. And almost all the congressmen and senators, the scientists and professors, and the presidents of the companies.
Were you unaware of that stuff? The US has still never had a female president. I just looked it up, and apparently Australia had their first female Prime Minister in 2010. Surely you knew that?
Did you think that women just weren’t interested in politics or science or running companies? So they just weren’t trying to get any of those jobs?
But then you said yourself about the book:
So you did notice that her being a woman was a downside for her. But you didn’t connect that to it being a “man’s world”. She was prevented from officially running the company – despite being the most competent person for the job and being an heir – because she was a woman. And you didn’t see that as it being a man’s world?
Btw, I think there is potentially some connection between this issue and the issue in the other thread that I also responded to where you commented on the woman’s makeup/appearance. (And also there is connection between the makeup comment and your earlier makeup project.)