Every woman ought to be filled with shame at the thought that she is woman. -Clement of Alexandria, c. 150-215 The five worst infirmities that afflict the female are indocility, discontent, slan der, jealousy, and silliness .... Such is the stupidity of woman's character, that it is incumbent upon her in every particular, to distrust herself and to obey her husband. -Confucian Marriage Manual Nature intended women to be our slaves. They are our property; we are not theirs. They belong to us, just as a tree that bears fruit belongs to a gardener. What a mad idea to demand equality for women.. . Women are nothing but machines for producing children. -Napoleon Bonaparte The fact of the matter is that the prime responsibility of a woman probably is to be on earth long enough to find the best mate possible for herself, and con ceive children who will improve the species. -Norman Mailer Read these quotes and wonder!! Wonder at the strength, tenacity, and grace of females who have endured outrageous slings and arrows without becoming violent, uncaring, or incapacitated. Sturdy stuff is contained in our double X, preserved and nurtured for other, less dis torted times. The Women in Context series is a reflection of the dawn ing light slowly illuminating woman as unique in some ways, but nei ther less than nor more than man. Surely, our imperfect world can well use all the talents and capabilities that men and women possess.

"Becoming Female", the first book-length examination of the body in classical Athenian tragedy, reconsiders the figure of the male tragic hero, making use of both feminist and body theory. The male hero becomes female in the space of tragedy through the experience of suffering, and seems unable to return to any secure expression of masculinity. Katrina Cawthorn concentrates initially on the figure of Heracles in Sophocles' "The Women of Trachis", an exemplary specimen of the tragic process of becoming female, who exhibits many of the central issues considered in the book. The male hero is, in the course of the play, undone and feminised, while the instability of masculine identity is revealed.This theme of becoming female, and the resulting failure to circumscribe the feminine and return to any secure and triumphant concept of masculinity, is argued to be a discernible feature of the genre of tragedy. The inconclusive and disconcerting nature of tragic endings contribute to the dislocation of the tragic male and emphasise the Dionysian disturbance of the male hero.Moreover, this state of the dissolute male hero has textual and theatrical consequences, extending to affect the audience so that it too becomes feminised by the processes of tragedy."Becoming Female" is an important work for scholars and students of Classical Studies, Ancient History, Drama and Theatre Studies, Women's Studies and Cultural Studies.

"Becoming Female", the first book-length examination of the body in classical Athenian tragedy, reconsiders the figure of the male tragic hero, making use of both feminist and body theory. The male hero becomes female in the space of tragedy through the experience of suffering, and seems unable to return to any secure expression of masculinity. Katrina Cawthorn concentrates initially on the figure of Heracles in Sophocles' "The Women of Trachis", an exemplary specimen of the tragic process of becoming female, who exhibits many of the central issues considered in the book. The male hero is, in the course of the play, undone and feminised, while the instability of masculine identity is revealed.This theme of becoming female, and the resulting failure to circumscribe the feminine and return to any secure and triumphant concept of masculinity, is argued to be a discernible feature of the genre of tragedy. The inconclusive and disconcerting nature of tragic endings contribute to the dislocation of the tragic male and emphasise the Dionysian disturbance of the male hero.Moreover, this state of the dissolute male hero has textual and theatrical consequences, extending to affect the audience so that it too becomes feminised by the processes of tragedy."Becoming Female" is an important work for scholars and students of Classical Studies, Ancient History, Drama and Theatre Studies, Women's Studies and Cultural Studies.

Becoming Female and Male: Our Extraordinary and Perilous Journey focuses on critical aspects in the development and biology of our reproductive system. A wealth of information not readily available to the general reader is complemented with a rich assortment of historical perspectives and commentaries. It begins with the amazingly complex, seemingly miraculous processes that lead to the formation of the eggs and sperm, follows the fetal development of the genital tissues, the post-pubertal reproductive functions of females and males, the pubertal transition, and finally our reproductive twilight. The next section focuses on fertilization and implantation, birth and lactation, and exciting new studies relating the origins of chronic adult diseases to our pre-birth environment in the womb. The third section covers pregnancy loss and birth defects, while the final section reviews birth control methods, the causes of infertility and the new growth industry - assisted reproduction. In addition, three appendices supplement the main text and provide more detailed information about sex chromosomes, mutations, hormonal integration of the reproductive system, and disorders of sexual development.

The powerful coming-of-age story of an ultra-Orthodox child who was born to become a rabbinic leader and instead became a woman Abby Stein was raised in a Hasidic Jewish community in Brooklyn, isolated in a culture that lives according to the laws and practices of eighteenth-century Eastern Europe, speaking only Yiddish and Hebrew and shunning modern life. Stein was born as the first son in a dynastic rabbinical family, poised to become a leader of the next generation of Hasidic Jews. But Abby felt certain at a young age that she was a girl. She suppressed her desire for a new body while looking for answers wherever she could find them, from forbidden religious texts to smuggled secular examinations of faith. Finally, she orchestrated a personal exodus from ultra-Orthodox manhood to mainstream femininity-a radical choice that forced her to leave her home, her family, her way of life. Powerful in the truths it reveals about biology, culture, faith, and identity, Becoming Eve poses the enduring question: How far will you go to become the person you were meant to be?

"The women in this collection were asked, simply, to recall a significant memory of growing up female. They responded generously, with intimate stories of their lives. Instead of the superficial prepackaged blurbs of TV sound bites and press releases, they told stories from their hearts; they told secrets never spoken before. They revealed themselves through stories of personal confusion and discovery, pain and overcoming, rejection and celebration." --From Willa Shalit's Introduction The stories shared by these sixty-seven remarkable women -- writers, actors, musicians, journalists, activists -- include: --Kate Winslet on the media's eagerness to distort women's images. --Zane on her belief in a woman's right to satisfaction. --Lillian Vernon on being a trailblazing entrepreneur. --J.K. Rowling on the transformation wrought by giving birth. Filled with sparkling insights and powerful reflections, Becoming Myself is a gift for every woman.