Summary

Beard begins the second essay, entitled, “Women and Power,” with a reference to a novel by Charlotte Perkins Gilman called Herland, which depicts a utopian society composed entirely of women, as they have invented a way to reproduce asexually. The society described in the book have eliminated all societal ills such as war and disease, and lead an extremely functional and sustainable lifestyle. The story centers around the problems that emerge when male explorers come to visit them, which leads the women to begin to doubt the efficacy of their society, and their power as leaders. Beard contends that the story points to bigger questions regarding how we regard women in power.

Despite the fact that there are more women in positions of power than there has been in the recent past, it still remains the case that “our mental, cultural template for...