Women are allowed to do anything today - and yet they still don't get ahead. Blinded by a few examples of successful career women, we overlook the fact that women are not making strides; they are not even standing still, but rather rowing backwards. Accusing women of cowardice is too simplistic. Instead, it is about mechanisms that are ingrained in them from a young age and act like an inner corset. While girls are trained to launch their careers, they are simultaneously expected to be loving and nurturing. However, caution and gentleness do not help them in the workplace - or in conflicts with their partners. Measures such as gender quotas have only a limited impact, as they come into play much too late. This book illustrates how girls lose their self-confidence during puberty and how women continue to struggle.