Boundary Crossing: Language
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5 pages in length. The concept of boundary crossing, as it relates to gender issues, is relevant in such a way that it forms social dictates. Clearly, boys and girls, men and women have specific gender roles to uphold that have been ingrained since childhood; when those boundaries are crossed, it sometimes creates an uneasiness that reverberates throughout society. One might readily argue that boundary crossing is significantly less acceptable when a woman is traversing the invisible line, such as with sports, politics and any other social element that has long been construed as controlled by the male gender. Pertinent to this learned social behavior is the manner by which both boys and girls are conditioned through the learning process. Among the myriad differences between men and women is the manner in which they speak. Bibliography lists 4 sources.
Filename: TLCbndry.wps

Boylan’s “She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders”
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A 4 page book review of Jennifer Finney Boylan’s “She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders.” Bibliography lists 2 additional sources.
Filename: RAboyshe.rtf

Canadian Women's Special Interest Groups: Undue Influence To Advance Their Own Agendas?
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12 pages in length. Some scholars have accused organized interests of "undue influence" in the policy process and, in particular, of using the courts to advance their own narrow interests by way of circumventing the democratic (i.e. parliamentary) policy process. The manner by which the articles in Women's Legal Strategies in Canada address the controversy surrounding the issue of using courts to promote concerns of interest groups and social movements, as well as the evidence presented by the various authors in this collection edited by Radha Jhappan, helps to refute claims of "undue influence" by women's groups in the political and legal process. However, what must be realized is how the issues at hand are viewed as unworthy of acceptance via the traditional democratic process and in need of alternative means by which to be moved forward – such as with gay and lesbian rights, feminism and other female-related social movements – derogatorily branding these interest groups as "equality seekers" who are forced to circumvent an otherwise intolerant, patriarchal and hypocritical society that eschews the freedom inherent to social diversity. Bibliography lists 7 sources.
Filename: TLCLEAF.rtf

Carol Gilligan/Female Moral Development
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A 4 page essay that, first of all, briefly discusses the main points to Carol Gilligan's position in "Woman's place in Man's life cycle." Then, the writer relates how Euripides' Medea and the movie Mean Girls both substantiates Gilligan's points and refutes them. Bibliography lists 3 sources.
Filename: khfmdgil.rtf

Carol Lakey Hess’ “Caretakers of Our Common House”: Gender Socialization and Women and Conversational Education (Chapter 6)
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This is a 6 page paper discussing Hess’ “Caretakers of Our Common House”. Carol Lakey Hess’ “Caretakers of Our Common House: Women’s Development in Communities of Faith” studies not only areas connected with faith, theology and women’s experience but also the various aspects in the difference of female socialization in regards to “caring and connection” and how this relates to theological interpretation. The idea of the practice of faith within communities relates to Hess’ argument that separation and connection is obtained through “hard dialogues and deep connections” in which girls and women care be nurtured to be caretakers of their “own house” (self) as well as the “common house” (the community of faith). Women, through conversational education and strong leadership in the religious community can overcome the generations of gender socialization which have largely led to men as powerful and women as servile, caring, and supportive which has resulted in women “losing themselves” to societal roles. Bibliography lists 2 sources.
Filename: TJCHess1.rtf