Opposing Viewpoints Series - Male/Female Roles (hardcover edition)

From School Library Journal Grade 9 Up - This title, like its 2000 edition, looks at gender roles in American society and how they are established. The book consists of four chapters, each with its own introduction and periodical bibliography. Each essay begins with points to ponder and directs readers' attention to key essay points. The essayists cover a wide range of topics, from the biology of gender to questions about the importance of fathers. It should be noted, however, that the entries are clearly viewpoints, and not based on hard research, with the exception of the articles on the biological imperatives that impact gender. This means that the articles can cause some confusion for young people in terms of what and who to believe. This problem is deepened when the essayists see feminism as the enemy. This is a curious stance to take, since gender roles as they now exist can and should be separated from the feminist movement. It's also interesting to note that the gender roles discussed here have primarily to do with white, educated, middle- and upper-class society. Are there different gender role expectations along race, class, religious, and ethnic fault lines? That would be the more compelling argument if some of those topics had been addressed.