'''While reading the Dichotomies essay I found it amazing that fatherhood was seen as “social.”  I always felt that motherhood and fatherhood were both ‘natural,’ but now I’m not sure.  I have a feeling this was not worldwide though, since each culture is different.  I’m curious how other cultures viewed mother- and fatherhood.'''  –Ashley W.

'''While reading the Dichotomies essay I found it amazing that fatherhood was seen as “social.”  I always felt that motherhood and fatherhood were both ‘natural,’ but now I’m not sure.  I have a feeling this was not worldwide though, since each culture is different.  I’m curious how other cultures viewed mother- and fatherhood.'''  –Ashley W.

'''I did not realize until reading these essays just how many problems are in the field of women’s history. ''' From the sounds of the essays there have been problems getting the field established and then getting the field of women’s history to cover all women, regardless of race and class.  It sounded like it was getting better, but still has lots of room for improvement. – Ashley W.

'''I did not realize until reading these essays just how many problems are in the field of women’s history. ''' From the sounds of the essays there have been problems getting the field established and then getting the field of women’s history to cover all women, regardless of race and class.  It sounded like it was getting better, but still has lots of room for improvement. – Ashley W.

I found Bock's view of the sex and gender dichotomy to be particularly interesting. I never considered that the distincion of sex from gender would restate the nature versus nurture issue. I considered this distinction to be helpful to show that many feminine characteristics should not be considered inherent nor subordinate. Bock argues that these simple definitions only hurt by reinforcing the differences between the sexes and therefore polarizing the study of women. Like other studies of history, the study of women should be a continuous effort without the pause to separate a women's world into what is physiological from what is cultural. -- Meredith Bojarski

I found Bock's view of the sex and gender dichotomy to be particularly interesting. I never considered that the distincion of sex from gender would restate the nature versus nurture issue. I considered this distinction to be helpful to show that many feminine characteristics should not be considered inherent nor subordinate. Bock argues that these simple definitions only hurt by reinforcing the differences between the sexes and therefore polarizing the study of women. Like other studies of history, the study of women should be a continuous effort without the pause to separate a women's world into what is physiological from what is cultural. -- Meredith Bojarski

After reading all the essays, I have found that the field of women's history is not nearly as simplistic as I had thought.  I never realized all the issues that could arise in the field of women's history, it is so much more than simply the study of women. --Angela Scott

After reading all the essays, I have found that the field of women's history is not nearly as simplistic as I had thought.  I never realized all the issues that could arise in the field of women's history, it is so much more than simply the study of women. --Angela Scott