Each of these three qualities can be possessed independently of the others. What is absolutely exceptional in the case of Wim is that he had all three of them simultaneously. As far as demanding circumstances and exceptional challenges are concerned, Wim had, like all of us, his fair share. Then his unique qualities worked wonders.
Despite the widespread sentiment against women, particularly married women, working outside the home and with the limited opportunities available to them, women did enter the labor force in greater numbers over this period, with participation rates reaching nearly 50 percent for single women by 1930 and nearly 12 percent for married women.