Media Depictions of Brides, Wives, and Mothers, edited by Alena Amato Ruggerio, explores how television, film, the internet, and other media variously perpetuate gender stereotypes. The contributors to this volume bring a variety of feminist rhetorical and media criticism approaches from across the communication discipline to their analyses of how television, film, news coverage, and the Internet shape our expectations of the performance of women’s identities. This collection includes studies of Bridezillas, Jon & Kate Plus 8, Sex and the City, Sarah Palin, Nancy Pelosi, The Devil Wears Prada, Practical Magic, “momtini” blogs, and Mad Men fan websites. Readers will learn to apply the insights from each chapter to their own sets of myths, stereotypes, and assumptions about gendered roles, and to recognize the possibilities for both liberation and domination when women’s practices of marrying, mating, and mothering are represented and misrepresented in the media. This collection is an essential contribution to media studies and criticism of gender stereotypes in contemporary culture.

"For years I have been impressed by the originality and insight of Johnson's articles on gender, sexuality, and male dominance. This book continues and expands the excellent quality of the earlier work. . . [It] provides an original argument about the central structural locus of gender inequality, and makes a major advance in its insightful and insistent focus on the role of the father in gender differentiation and sexual dominance. . . . It will surely be recognized as a major work of feminist theory."—Nancy Chodorow, author of The Reproduction of Mothering "This thoughtful and provocative book greatly deepens the debate over the effects of mothers and fathers on their children."—Arlie Hochschild, author of The Second Shift: Inside the Two-Job Marriage

One of the most important series of events in modern times--the restructuring of sex roles to adapt them to modern life--is here chronicled from the perspective of a lifetime of studying and writing about women. In this lively, lucid book Jessie Bernard examines, with concern and expertise, the dramatic changes in values experienced by women of all ages in all classes of society, and how these changes affect the options available to women today--as women, as wives, as mothers. Bernard begins her five-part examination with a critical overview of research on sex differences, pointing out the sexism that is implicit in most of this research and suggesting what kinds of research should be done. She discusses the paradox involved in preparing girls for the most demanding of all roles--motherhood--by fostering weakness in them rather than strength. She writes of the ages and stages of motherhood and the momentous changes now in process in the roles of wife and mother, as more women combine labor force participation with marriage and motherhood. Bernard contrasts the positions of the nineteenth- and twentieth-century feminist movements with respect to class, and reports on the influence of the feminist movement on working class and African-American women. The last part of the book tells of the bitter fruits of extreme sex role specialization, both for women and for society, and examines policy-relevant research on motherhood. Bernard explores the many new potentialities open to women, and, finally, the societal forms that will be necessary in order for women to plan their lives with wider latitude. Both the general reader and students of women's studies will be delighted and informed by Jessie Bernard's enlightening report on where women have been and where they are going in American society.

Being a mother is tough, and sometimes life can be hectic and disorganized. The truth is, moms don’t have to accept the chaos or resign themselves to the attitude of “this is just the way it is.” By God’s grace, every mother can purpose not to settle for anything less than His pattern for motherhood, and His pattern is victorious, triumphant, and glorious. Now, women who first met Leslie Ludy in When God Writes Your Love Story and Authentic Beauty can continue journeying with her through the realities of motherhood. Leslie will encourage, inspire, and equip moms to be successful in raising their kids, managing their homes, and keeping Christ at the center of their mothering. Written from the perspective of a mom who is currently “in the trenches” with several young children at home, Leslie will help guide readers to become mothers who are set apart for God’s purposes.

What Wild at Heart did for men, Captivating is doing for women. Setting their hearts free. This groundbreaking book shows readers the glorious design of women before the fall, describes how the feminine heart can be restored, and casts a vision for the power, freedom, and beauty of a woman released to be all she was meant to be.

"These stories sink deep and rise high. And along the way, they gleam with love." -Lavina Fielding Anderson The female protagonists of these fourteen short stories are daughters of devout Mormon women. Some choose to leave the family faith; some choose to stay. All hum the hymns of their forebears. They are women of the American West, but some have also journeyed a bit beyond those borders. One swims in a tributary of the Colorado; another dips her elbow into the Ganges. Each finds her own way to ask (not answer) the big questions. They represent four distinct families. They are separated by mountain ranges and deserts. But they share a common birthright. They are sisters. "Rosenbaum probes the feminine soul with deep empathy." -Levi S. Peterson Karen Rosenbaum's published work comprises short stories, personal essays, and newspaper articles, some of which have won awards from Sunstone, Exponent II, and Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought.