Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

For some time sex has been defined as the biological difference between men and women, and gender as the manner in which culture defines and constrains these differences. Feminine/masculine, male/female, women/men, boy/girl - terms of sexual and gender division like these permeate the way we think and talk about ourselves and each other. On most occasions we find their use non-problematic and people employ them easily, at other times, however, particularly if we are interested in psychology, we may wonder whether this ease is illusory.; One may speculate whether being a woman necessarily implies being "feminine". One may question why young women are often referred to as girls, while men are seldom referred to as boys. Is dressing in a stereotypically feminine manner a reliable indication that a woman is heterosexual? What about cross dressing? Why do these topics hold so much fascination for the media?; "Gender, Sex and Sexuality" examines the effects that the inequalities experienced between men and women have had on the psychologies of both sexes, and the battle to remove them. It aims to introduce the reader to current research and theories, drawing on novels, theatre, soap operas, as well as research for case histories.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Gender and Sexuality
• Tarzan, Jane and Boadicea
• Gender Differences and Biological Determinism
• Sugar and Spice
• Snaps and Snails
• Poles Apart? Abilities, Attributes and Social Behaviour
• Structuralism, Feminism and Post-feminism
• Fatal Attractions

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

Siann solidly overviews historical, theoretical, and empirical work on gender, sex, and sexuality. She manages to touch on most of the relevant psychological, cultural, anthropological, and sociological issues in a mere 177 pages. The seven chapters cover much ground: (1) definitions of gender, sexuality, sex, and sexual orientation; (2) an overview of psychoanalytic views; (3) biological determinants of sex and sexual orientation; (4) developmental research and prominent developmental theories, such as gender schema theory; (5) evidence of sex differences; (6) feminism and status issues; and (7) gender stereotypes and the impact of stereotypes on gender-differentiated behavior, including violence. Siann's scholarship and balanced presentation of earlier work is evident throughout these chapters. Her book will find its greatest utility as an excellent overview source to guide readers to original source materials. Despite a high price for a volume its size, this book is well worth reading. Undergraduate and graduate students, practitioners, professionals, and researchers. A. C. Downs; formerly, University of Houston--Clear Lake