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GENDER HISTORY RETROSPECTIVE IN HUNGARY AFTER 1949 principles would be more welcome instead of the instability of values or the shift of values spreading currently regarding the women’s ideal.”*** She believes that one of the biggest problems with constantly changing ideals is that one of the devices for solving social issues (like unemployment) is “sacrificing women”, not only unequivocally, but almost as a knee-jerk action, meaning pushing women into the background as workforce and back into family roles again (as seen with GYES in the ’70s). Another of the biggest problems is that if we adjust ourselves to one image of a woman’s ideal in any given era, and this ideal then changes based on the nature and magnitude of a social issue, the forced adjustment that follows can be of detriment to those denying themselves by the process, and can cause social harm to those who are not able to adjust themselves to this image.*”° So if society stresses the domestic role of women in a particular era, considering that to be the ideal (“Like, women need to make the most effort around the house” [Subject no. 10, doctor of technical sciences]; “taking the child to the nursery belongs to the regular tasks of a woman” [Subject no. 23, natural sciences]), a large number of women will find themselves in a dilemma. If they identify with their career and if they intend to have children at the same time, they may experience internal conflicts or psychological dilemmas. Ifa woman decides to stay at home in such a case, she would contradict herself, but if she chooses the scientific career instead, she might consider herself to be a bad mother. If she decides on both (family and career), she will encounter a disproportionately larger burden, as long as there is no social norm, family policy, or act of law which would include men into the early period of childcare. Those who don’t have assistance but have a family need to face the challenge of choice, I mean, what do I do now? Who is at the fore? And if there is such, it is a losing situation from then on, because there are no good choices there. Truly, a woman has to decide for family, a mother for her child. But then she abandons her profession. (Subject no 5, natural sciences) I need to add that, as I have lived alone, a conflict like that, I mean who will do the cooking or take care of the child, me or my husband, I never had that in my life, but I have measured it up. This was one hell of a choice for me. But my ambition was to be at least more than a mediocre scholar. So living together, I would not have been able to deal with that. If you like, I have chosen the easier part. (Subject no. 25, social sciences) 348 Tbidem, 906. 349 Thidem. e 121 e
