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Draws on vedic & brahminical texts to explore the origin & development of the conception of a third sex in India. Factors that led to a widely accepted three-sex model of female, male, & napumsaka (neither feminine nor masculine) during the late vedic period are discussed. Difficulties encountered by Buddhists in trying to stick to a two-sex model are explored, along with expressions of third-sex sexuality in Jain monastic texts. Examination of the social position of the third sex in ancient India contends it was viewed as either a partially defective male, or a male who exhibited female characteristics. The normative masculine was always the standard by which other sexes & genders were measured. The ways in which different communities categorized & dealt with third-sex persons are described, noting that it was a "residual category" created to articulate the biological & behavioral gender traits of persons whose sexuality was unclear. The theoretical implications are discussed in light of interpretive problems stemming from the almost total focus on males in the Indian data. 133 References. J. Lindroth

Investigates the differences between the average male & female mind to argue for a mutual respect of difference. The male & female brain types are explained by a dichotomous system of "Empathizing"(E) & "Systematizing"(S). The male & female brains are distinguished by tendencies toward the two characteristics. Analysis of various survey data finds that the female brain is characterized by type E, & the male brain by type S, identifies 5 broad types of brain, & finds that more females than males have an equal S-E balance. A discussion of the extreme Systematizing brain identifies autism as the case of the extreme male brain. Implications of this research to concepts of "gender" question expectations of equal sex ratios in occupations, & the danger of stereotypes and prejudice on the basis of sex. References. J. Harwell

The ascription of lesbianism to the butch body is examined historically, through the pathologization of homosexuality in 19th-century sexology to the more recent elevation of the butch body in lesbianism. The other site of the pride/shame dichotomy in lesbianism is the stone butch, both the ideal & abjected sense of butchness. The reality of a butch body with its erotic surfaces & lines of force, the butch performance as a sense of autonomous embodiment, & the instability of the butch configuration are discussed. 13 References. M. Pflum

A PhD candidate in biological sciences, who is also pursuing a graduate certificate in women's studies, describes male-centered paradigms in the study of fish coloration that overlook coloration displays in females. As a result, many traits common to both sexes are labeled "male traits," thereby obscuring the actual degree of sexual variation. It is argued that the traditionally male-dominated field of animal behavior has produced many theories that fail to consider female evolution. However, recent work by the growing number of women in the field, as well as some astute male scientists, has focused more on androcentric research that reflects larger cultural shifts in gender roles. Personal experiences as a woman in a male-dominated field are related, along with how childhood socialization served to restrict certain aspirations, & how human gender roles inhibit conceptions of male & female animals. A discussion of the need to challenge science's gender-based representations contends that the insights & methodologies of feminist theory must be applied in order to develop a more flexible view of animal nature. 17 References. J. Lindroth

After briefly reviewing changes in the notion of masculinity underway in Western societies, the situation in a semiindustrialized, developing society -- Trinidad -- is assessed, drawing on fieldwork data collected in a rural Hindu village. It is shown that, similar to Western societies, there is a growing discomfort in Trinidad with sexual stereotypes & proscribed relations between men & women. Social & economic changes at the societal level have initiated challenges to traditional gender roles & identities. Key dimensions of male identity that are undergoing transformation are described, focusing on notions of respectability & reputation that have long governed male behavior & attitudes. Both in urban & rural areas, women are playing an increased role in social affairs & development projects, & a more inclusive relationship between the sexes in rejection of patriarchal norms is anticipated. 23 References. K. Hyatt Stewart

An introductory chapter looks at the dynamic nature of gender concepts, stressing that gender constructions can only be understood in relation to historical, cultural, social, political, & religious contexts. It is maintained that this collection goes beyond examinations of women's roles in various settings, or representations of gender in narrative contexts, to focus on the intersection of gender & religious identities in India, as well as the relation of the complex notion of gender identity with cultural & religious ideas about sexuality. It is noted that most of the essays grew out of a 1996 conference at the U of London on "Gender, Religion, & Social Definition." Although the contributors employ different methodologies & frameworks to explore gender in varied socioreligious contexts, the papers focus on one theme or an intersection of two themes: gender identity & gendered discourse. The studies include investigations of gendered constructs in ancient traditions/texts like the Indian vedic grammars, folk narratives, contemporary possession rituals, & urban communal violence. A synopsis of each essay is included. 79 References. J. Lindroth

Challenges the assumptions of civilizations that are manifested in the way sex & power are conceived. The false assumptions that men (human) & women (nature) were different species, & that the father was the primary parent bolstered patriarchy & the mind-body split, as well as served to deify domination. It is argued that female superiority is based in biology & nature while male power is a creation of mere words sustained by male solidarity. Philosophy's ignorance of everyday realities has led to men being seen as the incarnation of power. Women, in contrast, are relegated to assuming the "responsible" roles. To build a more sane & moral world, it is advocated that the concept of "human" must be redefined, & domination must be recognized as a malicious action. 26 References. M. Greenberg

Examines the social construction of the terms "gender," "family," & "masculinities" & their dynamic interplay in traditional, early-modern, late-modern, & postmodern societies. Notions of masculinity in each period are discussed in relation to men's social & familial roles, noting shifting constructions of & the multiple faces of male identities. It is concluded that theory & research on gender relationships cannot be separated from that on family relationships. 13 References. K. Hyatt Stewart

Investigates the tensions between mainstream moral issues & trans-sexual & trans-gender identities to argue that "trans" trouble is actually a profound critique of discourse that naturalizes commonplace concepts constructed about humans or ethical subjects. This critique fulfills the radical deconstruction potential that post-structuralist theorization has articulated with respect to individual identity, reproduction, sex, sexualit/ies, & gender. The theory & practice of trans-sexuality marks an important stage in every definition of the human person, & therefore the ethical subject. Although gender trouble is here to stay, philosophical conceptualizations of the human subject must now embrace conceptions of the "other" in new & complex ways. References. J. Harwell

Explores Filipino women's perspectives on motherhood, drawing on late-1980s open-ended interview data from 19 mothers in Manila. Responses fit squarely into conventional categories of thinking about marriage, motherhood, family, & children in the Philippines; ie, marriage is the most natural state for women, reproduction is a primary female role, self-sacrifice is more a woman's than a man's duty, & parental obligations continue after a child's marriage. A maternalist ideology is found to structure women's perceptions of their role in Filipino society. While the force of this ideology results at times in oppression, it is argued that, for these women, motherhood is attached to material & moral support of kin, thus representing an experience of unequaled joy as well as personal selflessness. D. M. Smith