Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies: An Interdisciplinary Approach is a truly interdisciplinary and intersectional text featuring global examples for women's, gender, and sexuality studies. Its student-centered rhetorical approach and pedagogical features--including an engaging image program, prompts for activism, a comprehensive glossary, appendices of key terms, annotated bibliographies for additional reading, and "Feminisms in Brief"--aid students in assimilating fundamental women's and gender studies terms and concepts. While it is a textbook and not an anthology, Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies adopts the best facets of the anthology approach: it includes discussions of frequently anthologized writers and writing that is more engaging and narrative in style than traditional textbooks. The book systematically covers core interdisciplinary concepts so that students are prepared for women's and gender studies courses in a variety of disciplines.

Table of Contents:
Part I: Gender and Society Chapter 1: Sex, Gender, and Social Construction Sex Intersex The Social Construction of Sex Sex Identity Gender Gender Polarization Doing Sex and Gender Across Cultures Multiple Femininities and Masculinities Gender Ideology Androgyny Sex and Gender as Cognitive Schemas Gender Roles Changing Ideas About Gender Intersectionality Gender Identity Gender Non-Conforming Baby X: The Conclusion Sexual Orientation Third Sex/Third Gender Chapter 2: Language and Communication What Language Reveals, Conceals and Imposes The Primacy of Males and Masculine Terms The Sex and Gender of Things Parallel Language Mr., Miss, Mrs., and Ms. Language, Communication and Semantic Change Appropriation of Stigmatized Names Communication and Reception Theory Sex, Gender and Communication Gender, Class and Speech Performativity Women, Men and Communities of Practice Chapter 3: Gender and In/Equality The Social Construction of Gender Gender Construction in Children The Social Costs of Traditional Femininity and Masculinity Sexism: A Special Case of Prejudice Misogyny Political and Economic Inequality Patriarchy Patriarchy at Home Feminism The "Mythical Norm" Intersectionality Oppression What About the Oppression of Men? Not All Discrimination is Oppression Part II: Issues and Intersections Chapter 4: LGBTQQIAA Identities and Challenges Measuring Sexual Orientation Kinsey Scale Klein Grid Homosociality Storms' Scale Looking Back, Looking Forward LGBTQQIAA Identities L/Lesbian G/Gay B/Bisexual T/Transgender Q/Queer Q/Questioning I/Intersex A/Asexual A/Ally The Problem of Heterosexual Focus The Lesbian Continuum and Marriage Resistance in Southern China Anti-LGBT Attitudes Straight Male Homonegativity Regarding Gay Men Straight Male Homonegativity Regarding Lesbians Straight Female Homonegativity Regarding Gay Men and Lesbians Negative Attitudes Regarding Bisexuals Negative Attitudes Regarding Transgender People Racism and Homophobia Against LGBT People of Color Microagressions against LGBT People of Color Gay Community and Social Support Chapter 5: Constructions of Homosexualities: Past and Present Ancient Greece Sappho and Female Same-Sex Sexuality Ancient Rome Male Same-Sex Relations Female Same-Sex Relations Male Same-Sex Sexual Relations in Latin American Cultures The Emergence of the Modern Homosexual Marriage in Early Modern England (Im)possibility (In)significance/(In)visibility Social Relations in Modern Europe The Rise of Capitalist Social Relations The Modern Regime of Sexuality Homosexual Identity as a Movement The Stonewall Uprising and LGBTQ Liberation in the U.S. Homosexualities in Africa Boy-Wives and Bagburu Relationships Mummy-Baby Relationships Homosexuality as Un-African Personification of Homosexuality India's Hijras: Troubling Same- and Opposite-Sex Schemas Chapter 6: Beyond the Mythical Norm: Considering Race, Class, and Gender Examining Race Essentialism Biology and Racial Classification Abandoning the Race Concept Keeping Race to Aid Activism Ethnicity Us and Them Gender, Race and Ethnicity Are Socially Constructed Stereotypes Socioeconomic Status in America Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in America The Ideal of the Model Minority History of Discrimination Black People in the U.S. The Myth of the Strong Black Woman Black Women, Black Men and Public Surveillance Representations of Black People Latinas/os The Latino Threat Narrative Machismo and Marianismo American Indians A Rich History Rife with Exploitation Multiracial America Discrimination Chapter 7: Embodiment, Beauty, and the Viewer Fat Studies and Activism History of Women's Body Shape and Clothing in the U.S. 1890's: Shifting Ideals in a Shifting Social Climate 1900's - 1920's: The Age of the Boyish Flapper 1930's: A Turn to Mature, Classical beauty 1940's -1950's: Move to Glamorous Fuller Figures 1960's - 1970's: Return to the Thin Ideal 1980's: Return to the Hourglass Look 1990's: Enter the Waif Look 2000's - 2010's: Slim and Hour-Glass Looks The Significance of Female Body Shape and Fashion Class History of Men's Body Shape and Clothing in the U.S. 1666 - 1800's: Into the Great Masculine Renunciation 1890's: Enter the Athletic Muscular man 1907 - 1950's: Continuation of the Broad Shouldered Ideal 1960's: Enter the Peacock 1970's: Continuation of the Peacock and Rugged Masculinity 1980's: Rise of the Hypermuscular Ideal 1990's: Advent of the Metrosexual 2000's - 2010's: Popularization of the Slim Ideal The Significance of Male Body Shape and Fashion Viewing Gendered Bodies The Male Gaze Chapter 8: Work, Inequality, and Neoliberalism Examining Unequal Pay Starting Out Behind, Staying Behind Paid Work and Parenting Women's Work, Men's Work Fewer Women and People of Color at the Top Women Leaders in a Bind The Politics of Housework The Value of All that Housework Why Count Unpaid Work? Work, Family and Social Policy Work in a Globalizing World Documenting Life on the Global Assembly Line Modern-Day Slavery Neoliberalism and Globalization Chapter 9: Gender-Based Violence (Re)Defining Gender-Based Violence Intimate Partner Violence Intimate Partner Violence Globally Intimate Partner Violence in the U.S. and Other Western Countries Where We Get Our Data Making Sense of the Data: Typologies of Violence Intimate Terrorism Violent Resistance Situational Couple Violence Risk Factors Associated with Intimate Partner Violence Feminist Activism and Intimate Partner Violence Women Advocate for Change Sexual Violence What Do We Know About Rape? How We Study Who Rapes and Why Debunking Rape Myths Sexual Assault on Campus The Case of Margaux J. Sexual Violence by Women The Role of Culture in Sexual Assault Advocates Campaign against Sexual Violence Violence against Members of the LGBT Community Anti-LGBTQIA Violence and Hate Crimes Stalking PART III: Theory and Practice Chapter 10: Human Rights and Global Activism La Guerra del Agua --The Water War Water and Gender Water Privatization Globally Water as a Human Right Managing Water in the Public Interest A Note About Reading This Chapter Human Trafficking Human Trafficking is a Global Problem Global Trends in Trafficking South and East Asia and the Pacific Africa and the Middle East Europe and Central Asia Americas Trafficking for Purposes of Sexual Exploitation Who Is Vulnerable? What Are the Causes of Human Trafficking? Genital Cutting Practices Traditional Female Genital Cutting The Reasons Why Female Cutting is Practiced The Consequences of Traditional Female Genital Cutting Combating Female Genital Cutting Critiquing the Western Discourse Interrogating Genital Modification Globally Human Rights and the LGBTI Community No Country Is Free of Human Rights Abuses The United Nations, Human Rights and Activism Universal and Indivisible? Public and Private Rights Engendering Human Rights Law Through a Women's Convention Where CEDAW Falls Short U.S. Non-ratification of CEDAW The United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women A Conference of Firsts Sex and Gender Multiple Oppressions Sexual Rights and Sexual Orientation Chapter 11: History of Women's Activism in the U.S.: Struggles and Solidarities Rethinking the Waves The Roots of Feminist Organizing in the U.S. The Anti-Slavery Movement and the Woman Question Labor Movements in an Industrializing America Seneca Falls, Suffrage and Beyond Schism in the Woman Movement Equal Rights for Women There Is No Break in the Waves The Anti-Lynching Movement The Rise of Organized Labor The Birth Control Movement The 1950's: Emerging Movements, Pivotal Moments U.S. Feminist Organizing from 1960 Equality Feminism Difference Feminism Multiracial Feminism Feminist Advocacy 1960-1990 Education Work Body image and beauty standards Capitalism and imperialism Violence against women Pornography Reproductive health Issue Focus: Reproductive Choice The 1980's, Conservatism and Backlash in the U.S. The Third Wave Transfeminism Hip-Hop Feminism Riot Grrrls, Zines and DIY Feminism Gaga Feminism Common Themes in Third Wave Feminism Third Wave Feminists Take a Feminism is for Everyone Approach Third Wave Feminists are Intentionally Multicultural and Coalitional Third Wave Feminists are Antiessentialist Third Wave Feminists are Genderbending Third Wave Feminists Engage Popular Culture Third Wave Feminists are often Prosex Second Wave is to Third Wave as Mother Is to Daughter? Chapter 12: Feminisms: Theories and Practices Advantages of Feminist Theoretical Analysis Understanding Forms of Feminism Read and Re-Read the Forms of Feminism Understand There Are No Neat Divisions Recognize This Is a Brief Introduction Not Agreeing with Everything is OK Understand Anti-Feminism Liberal Feminist Theory History of Liberal Feminism Radical Feminist Theory History of Radical Feminism Marxist and Socialist Feminist Theory History of Marxist and Socialist Feminism U.S. Intersectional Feminist Theory History of U.S. Intersectional Feminism Transnational Feminist Theory History of Transnational Feminism Postmodern Feminist/Queer Theory History of Postmodernism and Queer Theory Appendices Appendix A: Basic Terms Appendix B: Names for People and Places Appendix C: Feminisms in Brief Glossary References