A study of gender inequality in different child custody cases Essay Example for Free

A study of gender inequality in different child custody cases Essay Gender inequality in child custody cases has been happening since custody hearings were created. Today, fathers are less likely to win custody of their children; resulting in court and legal fees that the mothers do not have to pay. Regardless of the parents living situation or income, if the mother is physically healthy enough to raise the child, she has a major advantage.   On top of everything else, men are more likely to owe increasing child support, even if they are hurt or arrested for non-payment. It’s inequality like this that has plagued the family courts forever, giving them a biased and bad name. Going back to times such as the 1970s, it is well noted that even then gender inequality was quite rampant. Not only is it now well-known and admitted, but many feel with the removal of ‘tender years’ law (feeling that women raised the children, this should be primary caregiver) that inequality was taken care of; this obviously not being the case.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Indeed, typical statutory provisions at least implicitly encourage courts to consider past parental participation. Moreover, evidence that courts continue to favor mothers in custody disputes suggests that the pre-divorce caretaking function is valued.† (Elizabeth S. Scott) Not only is this seen and documented to be the same for many states; it can get even worse for small towns and municipals as their rulings have a higher chance to be biased and go unpunished and undocumented. While there are waivers to get court fees waived, many times the court rejects these fee waivers; resulting in immense costs for fathe r. If the father wants to claim custody of his child, some places may make the father file a petition for adoption (even if he is the biological father), which cost money to file. Fees for this could range from $20 to $200; something a struggling father with legal fees could usually not easily pay. With all these legal fees the father will also have to pay for any attorney fees; and for the attorney themselves. There have been many reported cases of mothers who can not support their children, being awarded custody for supposedly other reasons; while the father who could support the child is writing off as unfit. For example, there have been several cases where homeless mothers were award full custody of their children, while the father had a stable living situation. Not only living situation wise, but women who don’t have a stable source of income are often not seen as a problem in the eyes of the court. It operates under the guidance that women can get more government aid (such as welfare) for their children; often resulting in poor treatment of children due to improper nutrition and medical care. All of this is taking place due to courts going for what they feel would be the ‘best interest’ of the child, rather than the main negatives and benefits for each parent. More often than not, more care is done when a parent informs the court they want to move out of state with the child. This usually brings about a full inspection into both parents history, so to decide the right choice and not send a child out of state with an unfit parent. Operating on this backing is wrong, and this concept should be applied to every family court case regardless of circumstances or not. However, if a father was awarded custody, and wanted to move out of state to â€Å"start fresh again† or maybe â€Å"pursue love in another are†then more often than not the court would deny the father the ability to move out of state. â€Å"Where I practice, a parent wishing to move with their child out of state has to pass a two-part test. Part One: show the court a legitimate reason to move. Part Two: show the court that the move is in the best interests of the child.† (Nancy Shannon) More often than not courts find a problem with moving the child out of the mother’s state, due to incorrect thinking that all mothers are the best fit to parent their childre n; or they need to have the ability to be in contact with their children. On top of the discrimination and work required most fathers need to do in order to get custody of their child if they fail the results could end up being crippling and life ruining.   If a father is made to pay child support, right out of the court he is already in debt. Not only are the legal fees now imposed, but he now has to pay an additional monthly fee; sometimes even surpassing the cost of their monthly rent. This leads a lot of child support payers to end up not being able to pay; resulting in their arrest. What makes the entire situation worse is that once in jail their fees do not stop. The debts continue to accrue and once they get out, it could become a vicious cycle of not being able to pay, being arrested, and then being released. Yet somehow this is not the entire story of it. If you get hurt or have a medical injury making you unable to work, your payments still do not stop. You have to make a petition to the judge with proper documentation (which could be costly to print out depending on state medical information laws) and even then a judge may decide your injury is not debilitating enough. This one event in a person’s life could result in the rest of their life being ruined. â€Å"All I was saying was, ‘Give me an opportunity instead of throwing me in jail because that just puts me further behind in child support,† Ferebee says. â€Å"Let me find work so I can earn money.’† This year, Ferebee was headed to jail a fifth time for failure to pay child support.† (Tina Griego) This could turn your life into a ‘debtors prison’ where there is no hope for escape, and once the process has started each day makes recovery more and more improbable. There should be more options available to the father that cannot pay; such as working the payment off in community service or being forced to an assigned job for a certain amount of payment until the balance is resolved. This not only means fewer people in the jails for non-violent crimes but a better chance at actually paying the debt.   Unfortunately, the standard today is to just increase the debt hoping that the person could eventually afford it. One of the most compelling arguments against gender bias in court would have to be that because women usually take care of the children more often, they should be the primary caretaker. Several well-known judges had been surveyed about this, and many have told they feel this is not bias. Most judges are not getting a direct view of the household. That is why each case needs to be verified on a person-to-person basis, rather than a gender basis (i.e. look at BOTH the mother and father for the best living situation). â€Å"Her article holds that mother preference is not a gender biased opinion if the mother was the primary caretaker of the child‟s past.   She writes that bias is often seen because â€Å"fathers   are often given more credit than mothers for doing what is expected of mothers, to penalize mothers more than fathers for extramarital affairs, and to think that a mother‟s investment in her career is selfish while a father‟s is the act of a responsible provider† (Lindsay R. Estep) This quote does wonder for speaking about the current legal system regarding gender. The court official who spoke in that quote clearly demonstrates (albeit with a bit of truth in some parts) gender bias, and fails to recognize it. There are also a few things that need to be addressed regarding the quote. When the official speaks about the mother being the primary caretaker, her assumptions are wrong. If a mother was a primary caretaker of the child (i.e. father works while the mother stays at home) that does not give her any more parental rights than the father and vice versa. One of the reason’s a divorce could be happening is due to the mother’s neglect of the child while the father was away. Going with the current logic of the court official, the neglectful mother would be given the child, due to previous caretaking. The issue is that is not just an isolated problem, many places all over experience this issue, and it’s met with no resistance. The correct part of the quote is true, a mother can work while the father stays at home and vice versa. If this was the case she would not, and should not be penalized. The problem with this all is nothing is being done. Even though the mass public outrage, and people standing up against bias, places like the Supreme Court fail to do anything to prevent further discrimination. â€Å"No case so clearly prohibits consideration of sex in custody cases. It should be noted, however, that there was a potential gender issue in Palmore that received no attention from the Supreme Court. It appears that Linda began cohabiting with Clarence before they were married.† (Katherine Bartlett) This case Is well known because it enforced and helped prove the clear gender bias of sex without marriage; regardless of if the bias was on the female â€Å"Nothing more seems to have been made of this factor, either by the trial court or on review, but some courts have since noticed that mothers who cohabit outside of marriage, tend to be penalized in ways fathers who cohabit outside of marriage are not.† (Katherine Bartlett) While women face the same gender bi as in some ways, in the ways people tend to care about (who gets the child, who pays fees, etc.) is where men get overlooked in quality. This quote is important because if it’s known and documented of a clear gender bias, why hasn’t the Supreme Court stepped in and introduced better legislation and guidelines to prevent further bias? The problem is old legislation, and the refusal to make a change. A currently former Supreme Court judge Antonin Scalia was quoted as saying the constitution does not dis-allow gender bias.   While not true, a Supreme Court judge, who supposedly should be speaking for the constitution, should not help spread and promote miss-information. On top of that, he was never corrected or reprimanded.   The only consequence of that action was ‘bad press’. This quote not only helps smaller local courts continue their bias but miss-informs them that they are acting legally.   Better legislation and better education for judges need t o be passed before anything can be done. And while there are many arguments that women also face these problems (and while that may be true) the problem it’s usually the men. Women are given more chances and exceptions than the men. Several document court cases have shown that on average women are given more chances to earn money and pay it, should they be ordered to pay child support. This could either be the judge informing them of state opportunities like welfare and social security, unlike the men who usually are faced with arrest threats or an actual arrest. Another idea in the system is that the reason they are in family court is often due to the father being unfit in the first place (I.e Domestic violence, threats, abuse). This is an obvious oversight into a small population of the people.   More often than not it’s just a case of a family not working well together, and no actual abuse or crimes have taken place. On top of that, when it comes to dishing out child support, the mother will likely have t he advantage; also awarded more money â€Å"In spring 1992, about one-half (6.2 million) of the 11.5 million custodial parents were awarded child support; award rates were higher for mothers than for fathers (56 percent compared with 41 percent)† (U.S. Department of Commerce) Overall, when it comes to dealing with the family courts, men are less likely to win custody of their own children. Those who have a chance at it, are often met with extreme legal fees more so than the mother. Women are often seen as a child’s protector so in the eyes of the court they are usually seen as the fit parent right from the start. It has also been noted that men’s job status and living situation is looked into more than the women’s. This is due to the assumption that women get more government aid to assist them than men; this not being true but is still a common misconception. Inequality in the courts has been taking place ever since they have been around. The problem isn’t that they refuse to acknowledge it, the problem is it’s acknowledged and yet nothing is done about it today. Works Cited: Elizabeth S. Scott.   Pluralism, Parental Preference, and Child Custody Berkley Scholarship Law,  Ã‚   May 1992 Nancy Shannon. Custody Relocation Case Study: A Judge’s Ruling on Moving Out Of State Cordell Cordell Divorce Lawyer  Ã‚  Ã‚   May 2014 U.S. Department of Commerce. Who Receives Child Support? Economics and Statistics Administration. BUREAU OF THE CENSUS  Ã‚  Ã‚   June 1995 Tina Griego. Locking up parents for not paying child support can be a modern-day ‘debtor’s prison’  Ã‚  Ã‚   September 26, 2014 Lindsay R. Estep.   Mommy or Daddy?: Perceived Gender Bias and Court Awarded Custodial Guardianship April 27, 2011 Katherine Bartlett. Comparing race and sex discrimination in custody cases Duke Law EDU

My Philosophy about Child Development Essay -- Education Children Deve

My Philosophy about Child Development Works Cited Missing A child's development affects how they learn. All children don't fit the norms of development but not all children should be looked down on because of this. The development of the body and mind leads to the development of skills a child learns in life. Teachers need to help the child expand their skills and the knowledge to do the skills well. "Virtually everything a young child does is affected if physical development is delayed" (Charlesworth, 2000). Adults and teachers need to do everything possible to keep physical development from being delayed. Adults can provide children with opportunities to help them in development. By the age of three a child's brain is three quarters of its adult size. From infancy to the age of two development is very rapid (Santrock, 1996). For this reason it is essential for the child to be able to explore their world around them. By exploring children will increase their knowledge and understanding of the world. A child must have physical development before motor development can occur (Charlesworth, 2000). According to Piaget infants acquire knowledge from their environment. Through sight, smell, hearing, and touch this is accomplished. Adults are responsible for seeing that the children have a chance to explore to acquire the knowledge. A child must be physically able to do the work that is required to keep up with the other students. Many chil...

Market Equilibrium Process Essay

– Relate the concepts of the market equilibrating process in the Weeks One and Two readings and learning activities to a prior real-world experience occurring in a free market. The experience does not necessarily have to be work related. – Explain the market equilibrating process in relation to your experience. Include academic research to support your ideas. – Consider the following components in your explanation: †¢ Law of demand and the determinants of demand †¢ Law of supply and the determinants of supply †¢ Efficient markets theory †¢ Surplus and shortage – Use University of Phoenix Material: Appendix A to create graphs illustrating the equilibrating process in price relation to the shift in supply and demand. – Deliver the content as a 350- to 500-word paper, 7- to 10-slide Microsoft ® PowerPoint ® presentation, 2- to 3-minute video, or 1-page comic strip illustration. http://academicwritingtips.org/component/k2/item/932-market-equilibrium-process.html Market equilibrium refers to the selling price â€Å"where the intentions of buyers and sellers match†. This means that the quantity sellers are willing to sell at a particular price matches the quantity buyers are willing to purchase at that same price, or, in other words, where the quantity demanded equals the quantity supplied. A surplus results when the price is too high (quantity supplied is more than consumers are willing to buy) and a shortage occurs when the price is too low (quantity demanded is more than quantity supplied). The equilibrium price changes when there is a shift in either supply or demand. The market is made up of two basic groups, households and businesses. These two units buy and sell goods and services from and to each other. The market system uses competition among buyers and sellers to regulate the price of available goods and services. Theoretically, this insures that no one buyer or seller will be able to monopolize the market because others can c ome in and undercut the price. Supply and demand are affected by changes in consumer preferences, number of buyers in the market, consumers’ incomes, the prices of related goods, and consumer expectations. The economy is currently in a recession, or depression depending on whom you ask, that has greatly affected these determinants of demand. Many industries and individual consumers have seen a steep decline in income due to this market low period. The recession has had a significant affect on the construction industry in which this author currently works. There is currently a surplus of commercial and residential properties on the market. This surplus discourages businesses from starting new construction projects. This has led to businesses reducing their workforces which has in turn led to consumers reducing their spending and has become a circle of lower buying and selling. The construction industry was not the only one affected by this cycle. Nearly all industries that depend on consumers discretionary funds, those not spent on necessities, were affected. Large manufacturers that have been around forever went bankrupt and small companies everywhere  suffered the same fate. The United States economy is market based. Sellers and consumers are free to trade in any way that works for them with relatively little interference from government. This system allows the price of products and services to be set by supply and demand and determines the allocation of limited resources. Suppliers and consumers are connected in a circle of buying and selling, and when there is a major shift in the economy all can be affected. References This is a hanging indent. To keep the hanging indent format, simply delete this line of text using the backspace key, and replace the information with your reference entry. http://www.e-m-h.org/introduction.html http://www.healthmr.com/resources/newsletter-archive/1011-fa-3-ways-to-increase-revenues-in-home-health-and-hospice http://academicwritingtips.org/component/k2/item/932-market-equilibrium-process.html http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/cgi/content/full/165/6/750 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supply_and_demand

Hedda Gabler Essay

In the beginning when the reader meets Hedda Gabler, one can see how she is quite a high maintenance character by how she complains that the maid has† opened the door. I’m drowning in all this sunlight. † (Ibsen 1469). Exerting her power over her husband, George Tesman, she demands him to close the curtains, which he does complacently. Later Hedda notices an old hat lying on the chair and worries that someone may have seen it. When she learns that the hat belongs to Miss Tesman, George’s dear aunt, she does not apologize for her comment which shows her tendency to belittle others, even if they are family. Hedda utters to her husband, â€Å"But where did she get her manners, flinging her hat around any way she likes here in the drawing room. People just don’t act that way. † (1418). The author depicts Hedda as a neurotic woman who criticizes the actions of others in an attempt to demonstrate her self- imposed superiority over others. Her pretentious comment introduces the theme of a high and mighty character, which readers will begin to hate, who eventually succumbs to the pressure of appearing perfect in society. In the scene where George and Hedda receive news that Mrs. Elvsted, an â€Å"old flame† of Tesman, will be visiting, Hedda remembers her as the one with â€Å"that irritating hair she’d always be fussing with† (1418). By this remark, the reader can predict that Hedda, very jealous of Mrs. Elvsted, will attempt to flaunt her superiority over her throughout the rest of the play. Once Mrs. Elvsted arrives, and she and Hedda are alone they chat about a variety of topics: marriage, love, and most importantly, a man named Eilert Lovborg, with whom Mrs. Elvsted is in love. Admitting her feelings of loneliness in her marriage, Mrs.  Elvsted strives to justify her relationship with Lovborg and mentions how happy he makes her when he allows her to help him write, as he is a published author. However, Mrs. Elvsted is unsure of the future of their relationship because â€Å"the shadow of a woman† stands between them. This unidentified woman was going to shoot Lovborg when they broke up. As Hedda learns of this, she comments, â€Å"That’s nonsense. People just don’t act that way here. † (1424). Yet, an astute reader can tell that Hedda is hiding something: she was, in fact, the woman who had previously tried to shoot Lovborg. Ibsen does this to show that Hedda acts in a manner that contradicts her snooty statements. Later in the play when Lovborg visits Hedda, he confronts her by asking why she married George because it is apparent that she does not love him. Then he inquires if she ever loved him while the two had previously been in a relationship, and he reminisced about how he confessed so many secrets to her. â€Å"Ah, Hedda, what kind of power was in you that drew these confessions out of me? † (1440) he asked. Mischievously, she responds, â€Å"You think it was a power in me? (1440). All the while, Hedda takes pleasure in knowing that she can control others by exerting her power over them. Deeper into their conversation, the reader learns that when the two enjoyed a secret friendship, Hedda had threatened to shoot Lovborg, but she did not because she feared the scandal it would have caused. Once again, Hedda proves to be overly concerned of what society thinks. On the outside, she appears to fit the mold of how a woman in society should behave; yet, internally, she struggles with a predisposition to act in a contradicting manner of what society regards as acceptable behavior. She is propelled by this internal conflict during the entire play. Earlier in the play, the reader inferred that Hedda envies Mrs. Elvsted because of her relationship with Lovborg; therefore, the reader expects to see Hedda parade her superiority over Mrs. Elvsted. True to her character, Hedda rips out the pages in Lovborg’s manuscript, which Mrs. Elvsted helped him write, and throws them into the stove. Crazed, Hedda exclaims, â€Å"I’m burning your child, Thea! You with your curly hair! Your child and Eilert Lovborg’s. I’m burning it! I’m burning your child† (Ibsen 1456). Right before this manic event, Hedda urges Lovborg to commit suicide, gives him one of her pistols, and expresses her desire for him to do it â€Å"in beauty† (1456). Once she persuades Lovborg to commit suicide, Hedda can no longer suppress her internal conflicts and shoots herself in the head. The reader can assume that Hedda commits suicide beautifully, as she hoped Lovborg would do. Her motto of â€Å"people just don’t act that way,† proves to be false because her actions are exactly what she says people do not do. Throughout Hedda Gabler, the main character possesses much contempt for her husband, insults others, and resents a former acquaintance. Despite her concern with society’s opinion of her, she feels trapped within society’s standards to act a certain way. Yet, in doing so, she becomes dejected from others and society as a whole. Repeatedly, she uses the following phrase: â€Å"People just don’t act that way,† in an attempt to suppress her internal desires to be like one of those people. By the end, Hedda cannot live torn between two different realities; she chooses to behave like one of those people, and she commits suicide- in beauty, of course.

teen curfews essays

teen curfews essays It was a very tragic moment last week when two teens died in driving accidents. One of the events happened to a student of a fellow G.I.S.A school. Now the main focus is on the future of teen driving. It is a very serious issue, which needs very serious reform. Now the Georgia senate is considering narrowing driving curfews of teenagers. This new proposal calls for sixteen and seventeen year olds to be off the roads between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. this proposal had been urged lt. Governor Mark Taylor and senator Phil Gingrey. Governor Roy Barnes first proposed this curfew. Taylor then proposed another solution, which would call for 16-year-old drivers to be off the road by 10 p.m. and for 17 year olds to be off by midnight. I prefer this solution because many teens especially older ones dont have much time after they work or leave school events. Some people say that we should have a 9 p.m. curfew for teen drivers. This curfew is like the one already in effect in North Carolina. Their deaths and injuries due to driving have dropped 29 percent. This new bill would also make any 16-year-old driver lose his or her license for 6 months if they are charged with a moving traffic violation. A second would make them lose their license for a whole ye ar. The new bill also calls for teens to have 40 hours of driving instructions before they receive their license. Many people think that they should put drivers education back into high schools but due to the cost many people disagree. The bill is expected to pass Tuesday and if it passes then the whole senate could be voting on it by next January 26. Lets all hope that this bill will pass and hopefully teens will become more cautious, courteous drivers. Hopefully we wont have to deal with many more of the accidents that happened last week. Kathey Pruitt, Curfew for teen drivers in debate, Atlanta Journal-Constitution ...

Your Ultimate Guide to Summer Programs for High Schoolers

There are many benefits to participating in summer programs. You’ll get a taste of college life—in many cases, you’ll live in dorms and take college-level classes; you might get college credit or placement for courses; you might get ahead in high school by learning new material over the summer; and you’re showing colleges that you enjoy learning and are serious about your academic future. You’ll also meet like-minded students who are focused on their education, too. No matter what your niche or interest—or if you want to participate in a more general, academic-oriented program—there are plenty of summer programs perfect for you. Here are 11 of our favorites. In this program, girls entering 11th and 12th grades engage in project-based learning in STEM fields, as well as gain exposure to careers in tech. One perk is that it’s free to attend. To participate in CTY, a summer program for talented students, you must take a qualifying test, such as the SAT, and score above a certain threshold. There are 25 program sites, including Hopkins, in the U.S. and Hong Kong, where you’ll explore issues related to civic leadership, critical and cultural studies, or global issues. CTY also offers distance learning in particular subjects, a program available at other times of year aside from just summer. You must take a quiz to qualify for this mathematics program, in which you’ll explore undergraduate- and graduate-level topics in math and engage in problem solving. It’s free to attend for students who demonstrate need. You may be nominated by apply based on other merit to attend this program, in which you’ll explore a particular field: business, government and law, or STEM. You’ll also visit sites related to your field and develop leadership skills. Two students per state and Washington, D.C. are invited to attend NYSC, where you’ll participate in STEM-related seminars and excursions led by scientists and other camp staff. This residential program is in West Virginia. Estimating your chance of getting into a college is not easy in today’s competitive environment. Thankfully, with our state-of-the-art software and data, we can analyze your academic and extracurricular profile and estimate your chances. Fourteen college campuses, including UCLA, UPenn, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, and Yale participate in the Summer Discovering program. You’ll take courses taught by university faculty in disciplines like business, STEM, leadership, foreign language, writing, and other areas. At SIG, you’ll take courses in a wide variety of subjects, along with extracurricular activities. Online courses are available through the program as well. In order to be accepted, you must show evidence of academic aptitude through test scores or recommendations. In this six-week program, high school juniors will attend an academic seminar and public speaking program. Telluride also offers a program for sophomores on topics related to black and ethnic students. Both programs are free to attend. Mathematically talented students have the opportunity to learn various math-related concepts at this program. You’ll qualify with standardized test scores. It’s also partially grant-funded for qualifying applicants. For students looking to hone leadership and entrepreneurship skills, look no further than Wharton, UPenn’s business school. In this program, high school students take courses taught by Wharton professors and business leaders and participate in company site visits. Taught by professional writers, budding writers may participate in courses within their speciality, such as fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, and other genres, at YWW. The program is two or three weeks depending on the session. Many individual colleges and universities offer general summer programs with a range of courses. These programs are a great idea for students hoping to attend that college or want to stay local for the summer—many have commuting options in addition to residential options. There are many other options available. If you’re looking for programs at a specific school, check on the college website. You’re sure to find one that aligns with your academic goals and interests. To find more summer programs and learn about why you should attend one, check out these posts: Looking for help navigating the road to college as a high school student? Check out the Mentorship Program . Our mentors drive significant personal and professional development for their high school mentees. Combining mentorship with engaging content, insider strategies, and personalized analyses, our program provides students with the tools to succeed. As students learn from successful older peers, they develop confidence, autonomy, and critical thinking skills to help maximize their chances of success in college, business, and life.

Literature review Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Literature review - Research Paper Example In Edwin’s view, it was wrong to use information collected from men to arrive at conclusions about the entire society without seeking the views of both women and men. He argued that it was this hierarchy in society that had rendered women voiceless over the years. The main proponent of the theory is Cheris Kramarae. The Muted Group Theory has been used for purposes of communication studies. Cheris Kramarae, once a professor in charge of Women’s Studies, worked with various lecturers from around the world. According to Cheris Kramarae, the ideas contained in the Muted Group Theory state that men created communication as a tool for taking advantage of women (Kramarae, 1981). The theory requires women to play strictly within the confines of the language developed by man and are therefore not allowed to have their own way of expressing their feelings and thoughts. Muted group theory also provides an explanation as to why there are groups in society that have a voice while s ome are mute. In her 1974 study, Chen's Kramarae focused on how the characters in cartoons are quite deceptive. She noted that the female cartoon characters were portrayed as being apologetic and emotional. They are also depicted as flowery and vague in the way they communicate. Words such as pretty and nice are used to refer to these characters. It is from this initial study that she found evidence that supported the muted group theory (Griffin, 1997, p. 459). LITERATURE REVIEW The first book that I will analyze is the book written by Belenky titled Women's ways of knowing: the development of self, voice and mind. In this book, the author analyzes the way women’s feelings are not adequately served. The author argues that this is probably the reason why women face challenges when trying to climb the corporate ladder (Belenky, 1986). The author also states that in many cultures women are ignored and often discouraged from joining male dominated industries even when they have t he knowledge required. What was disappointing about this book was that the Muted Group theory was not mentioned and I had to critically analyze it in order to gather relevant information out of it. The author also used several theorists to explain herself which made the book even more complicated to analyze. The second book I will review is a book by Griffen titled the ‘Proprietors of language' and argues that language was developed by men and that women were not consulted in its development. In this case men are referred to as the dominate group while women, the mute group (Griffen, 2004). Muted Group theory is used to explain the reason why some groups in the society; in this case women are silent. According to Ardener, this group that is muted can be studied from a gendered outlook. Females behave differently from males because they are constructed in a different way. It is these same differences that Ardener argues qualify women to be classified among the muted groups and undervalued in society. The aspect of this book that I did not like was that the chapters were not directly related to the Muted Group theory either. The issues discussed were however quite interesting despite not being topical. It was however