Superwoman (sociology) Superwoman (sociology) In sociology, a superwoman (also sometimes called supermom) is a Western woman who works hard to manage multiple roles of a worker, a homemaker, a volunteer, a student, or other such time-intensive occupations. The notion of "superwoman" differs from that of "career woman" in that the latter one commonly includes sacrifice of the family life in favor of career, while a superwoman strives to excel in both. The term was also used in a somewhat similar context in the Stevie Wonder song "Superwoman", released 1972. It was the title of a 1975 book by Shirley Conran; she also
Superwoman (sociology) wrote "Superwoman 2" (1977); "Superwoman in Action" (1979); and "Down with Superwoman: for everyone who hates housework" (1990). A number of other terms are derived from "superwoman", such as superwoman syndrome, superwoman squeeze (a pressure on a superwoman to perform well in her multiple roles), and superwoman complex (an expectation of a superwoman that she can and should do everything). Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz entitled her book "The Superwoman Syndrome" in 1984. The notion was first recognized in the post second-wave feminism American society of 1970s–1980s, with the shift of the woman's traditional role of a housewife towards a more career-oriented