Contains more than 20,000 brief biographical entries on women, including thousands of entries on non-U.S. figures.

"The balance of power between men and women today has been shaped, in part, by our ever-changing language. In this entertaining and lively exploration of the histories and meanings of over 300 words relating to women, Jane Mills reveals how our language both reflects women's role in society and actively creates it. Extensively cross-referenced, this is an essential dictionary for anyone concerned with language and the relations between men and women"--

Topics covered include: Abortion; Banshee; Barbie Doll; Best Friend; Cinderella; Courtship; Cowgirl; Cyber culture; Erotic Folklore; Folk Photography; Glass Ceiling; Hair; Hip Hop Culture/Rap; Lesbian and Queer Studies; Marriage; Menstruation; Muslim Women's Folklore; Photocopy Lore; Quilt making; and many more. In addition, there are entries on women's folklore and folklife in 15 regions of the world, such as the Caribbean, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Western Europe. Entries provide cross-references and cite works for further reading, and the encyclopedia closes with a selected bibliography of print and electronic resources. Students learning about history, world cultures, religion and spirituality, healing and traditional medicine, and literature will welcome this companion to the daily life of women across time and continents. FEATURES AND BENEFITS: 4 substantial overview essays survey the present state of scholarship on women's folklore and folklife around the world.