Women's sense of relation and connection and their embeddedness in social life can provide them with a security that men. Cultural devaluation and mother's over involvement make it difficult for girls to develop self-esteem. There are advantages for the boy who must deny his mother and hence all the feminine characteristics that are culturally devalued in favor of the male identity which is culturally valued. The female mothering role affects the development of both masculine and feminine personality and the relative status of the sexes. Chodorow describes the development of a relational personality for women and a personality that denies relation for men.
Men gain cultural and social superiority over women, but are always defensive and insecure.
Women have a secondary status to men, but a more secure sense of worth and importance based on their continuous embeddedness in social relationships. Social and psychological oppression is perpetuated in the structure of personality. If daughters and sons could develop a personal identification with more than one adult, social equality will be more possible. This will result in boys and girls with a healthy sense of self, positively valued gender identities, etc.