Estelle Ramey was a funny and credible chief investigator on the similarities and differences between genders. Her wit was priceless and her career in endocrinology made her an expert on the subject. Like the other great woman we lost this past week, Ann Richards, Ramey punched many a hole in sexist dogma. What strikes me today is the continuing dogma surrounding how physiological gender differences affect political and societal roles. Ramey once stated, "I am appalled at the fact that men have not studied the differences between males and females for their own advantage." Thirty years later, that statement still stands.

Much has been written and studied on the manner in which women collaborate at work; how they multitask; and how little they stick up for one and other. What if we did a little scientific research into women's hardwiring to nurture and caretake and used the stats to support appropriate career tracking for professional women who elect it? Thank goodness today's working woman doesn't have to defend her storming hormones as Ramey did in 1970 when she challenged the Democratic National Convention official who asserted that women were unfit for the presidency or for handling emergencies such as the Cuban Missile Crisis. She pointed out that our president who had handled the missile crisis in fact also had a chronic, severe hormonal imbalance, Addison's disease.

Discrimination is a condition of ignorance. The more we understand the differences between men and women, the more educated our decisions about tasking them becomes. The press is loaded these days with examples of highly talented women who are still on the partner track while taking some time to focus on family or personal matters. It is companies in the industries that are hard-pressed to replace retiring baby boomers who are leading the flexibility charge. While I am always one to understand that pain begets gain, I ask us now to consider making the bold changes in professionalism that Ramey and Richards spoke on when challenging society's myths on gender differences. As Ramey once responded years ago, " I would rather be a chairman (than chairperson). They make more." Ask a professional at the height of their career if they want to make more or have time and make a little less and the answer will often be the latter. Now, that's progress.