Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated

As a young woman, Democratic Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney asked her grandmother for career advice. She was shocked by the reply: “Get married.”

Though much has changed for women since then, more has remained the same. On a January night in 2008, Maloney and her daughter attended a Hillary Clinton rally in New Hampshire. Some men in the audience held “Iron My Shirt” posters aloft. This small incident provoked outrage, but it provided an important peephole onto larger problems that women face today.

In her groundbreaking book, Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated, Congresswoman Maloney shatters the myths about how far we’ve come, highlighting how women’s issues permeate every realm of society, and how political change has provided only a fraction of a solution.

The former cochair of the Women’s Caucus, Maloney has access to a wealth of cutting-edge research that helps her illuminate how far behind we still fall on gender equality in issues from health care to educational opportunities, from poverty to reproductive freedom. It’s a fact that women are working harder than ever, but they’re still only paid three-quarters the salary of their male counterparts. She weaves this vital information with gripping stories of real women, making clear that she’s not taking some abstract political position. She’s talking about real people, real lives.

Maloney also points the way forward, sharing inspiring tales of female activists who have managed to make a difference and presenting readers with “take action” guides that show all women practical ways they can help bring about change in their lives and the lives of others.