Sheryl Sandberg’s departure from Meta marks the end of an era, not only for the company previously known as Facebook but also for a kind of feminism that has become somewhat unfashionable.
Nearly a decade ago, Sheryl Sandberg published “Lean In,” a book that was part manifesto, part memoir, based on a popular TED talk she had given in 2010. In it, she dispenses career advice to women with maxims such as “sit at the table,” “don’t leave before you leave” and “make your partner a real partner.” Translation: Don’t shy away from taking up space at work as if you don’t really have anything important to contribute; don’t pursue a kid-friendly career path while your kids are still imaginary; choose a partner who will carry his weight at home.
The advice relied heavily on her own experience but was often peppered with nuggets from psychological or sociological research. She framed it as focusing on the “internal obstacles” women face on the road to the top: the way women are socialized to defer to others, to get every detail exactly right and to be likable at all costs.
