Progression or Stagnation?

In The Awaking and A Doll's house we are presented with questions of what the role of a woman is in a household and in society. In the times that the books took place women were looked at as decorations, or "dolls". They were not valuable, or smart, they were just items that were too emotional, and could not handle far as much as a man could to their society. Moving forward to today, in the 21st century women are now of more value. Women are allowed to be smart, and successful, but they still are not allowed to be as smart and successful as a man. It is much harder for a woman to remain a respected individual in a workplace, a school, in a society because women cannot be held at the same caliber as a man. A woman who is willing to go to enormous lengths and push through whomever she has to is looked as as manipulative, an opportunist, or a leech; where as a man who does the same thing is ambitious, and determined. Not only that, but women are valued more for their appearance than their brain. Women in politics, female actresses, singers or authors are constantly asked questions of what they do in their daily lives, like "what do you do to remain fit?" "who are you wearing?" "Do your children miss you while you're away at work?" instead of pressing questions that are relevant in female culture like: "What is your opinion on abortion?" "How do you feel about the economic injustice women of today still face?" or anything that that would actually concern a woman. Male actors, politicians, authors or singers are actually treated as individuals who can hold a conversation on more than just "how do you get your teeth so white?" Even when women try to tear down these double standards, and bring equality to women, they re still looked at as angry feminists who want to take down the man. Men are still intimidated by a woman who can stand on their own. So has society really moved forward, or has the man let their "pet" off their leash a little, but has to still remain with it's power over it? Have we moved past the decorative woman? Women are still not equal in today's society, and in order for them to do so men need to step off of their pedestals and realize a woman can do just as much as a man could, and sometimes even better.