2.Discuss.

1. What are Ukrainian culture's norms regarding husbands and wives?

2. Should both husbands and wives have jobs?

3. How does the role of wife vary across cultures?

4. Is homemaking a satisfying career in Ukraine? Why? Why not?

5. Is the role of wife and mother no longer honorable? Why? Why not?

6. Why do many women reject the role of childbearing and homemaking?

7. One of the stereotypes about women is that they talk a lot. Do you agree? Why? Why not?

8. Many women want absolute equality with men. What does this mean for you?

9. Do women

1. have the same educational opportunities?

2. receive the same pay as men for the same work?

3. have the same opportunities to rise in any occupation as far as they can?

11. Do you agree that one of the most visible inequities is the unequal distribution of power throughtout the system, especially at the top? Why? Why not?

12. In male-female relationships, must the woman play the primary or the secondary role?

13. Do women and men have the same drives, capacities, and potentials? Why? Why not?

14. Are men more competitive than women? Give examples.

15. Are women more sensitive to the feelings of others? Explain.

16. Do you agree that men are more logical and women are more emotional? Why? Why not?

17. Are attitudes to gender identity natural or culturally induced?

18. What characteristics are most frequently associated with men and women in Ukraine?

19. Does keeping her maiden name after marriage maintain a woman's identity?

20. Are job opportunities the same for men and women? Why? Why not?

21. What jobs are traditional/ nontraditional for women?

22. Do men demonstrate strength and power the same way? Give examples.

23. Do men and women communicate the same way? Give examples.

24. Do you agree that gender distinctions are expressed through language? Give examples.

25. Is a desire for power basic to men and women? Explain.

26. Can there be a woman president in this country? Why? Why not?

3. In groups, discuss the following statements and quotable quotes. Divide them into several groups. Decide what stereotypes about men and women are expressed by them. Do you agree with the views expressed? Why? Why not? Give your comments.

1. If you want to understand man, study woman (French proverb).

2. Men are people, just like women (Fenella Fielding (born 1934), Anglo-Rumanian actress).

3. A woman is the only thing I am afraid of that I know will not hurt me (Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), US President).

4. If you want a speech to be made, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman (Margaret Thatcher, British Prime Minister).

5. Women are nothing but machines for producing children (Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), French Emperor).

6. Women are like elephants to me; I like to look at them, but I wouldn't want to own one (W.C.Fields (1879-1946), American film actor ).

7. I hate women because they always know where things are (James Thurber (1894-1964)).

8. A woman's mind is like spring weather (Japanese proverb).

9. Women are a trouble and a worry (Arab proverb).

10. A wife's advice is of little value, but he who does not take it is a fool (Spanish proverb).

11. If you want peace in your house, do what your wife wants (African proverb).

12. Woman to man is either a god or a wolf (John Webster (1580-1625), English dramatist).

13. The more I see of men, the more I like dogs (attributed to Madame de Sevigne (1626-1696), French writer and Madame de Stael (1766-1817), French writer).

14. What is better than wisdom? Woman. And what is better than a good woman? Nothing. (Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400), English writer).

15. When a man gets up to speak, people listen, then look. When a woman gets up, people look; then, if they like what they see, they listen (Pauline Frederick (1883-1938), American actress).

16. Women want mediocre men, and men areny76 working hard to be as mediocre as possible (Margaret Mead (1901-1978), American anthropologist).

17. How a little love and good company improves a woman! (George Fatquhar (1678-707), English dramatist).

18. A wife is not an instrument that can be hung against the wall when you have played on it (Russian proverb).

19. I love men like some people like good food or wine (Germaine Greer (born 1939), Australian feminist).

20. The only problem with women is men (Kathie Sarachild, contemporary American feminist).

21. The majority of husbands remind me of an orangutang trying to play the violin (Honore de Balzac (1799-1850), French writer).

22. The intelligence of woman is inferior to that of man, and every woman who tries to deny it proves it (Countess Diane of Poitiers (1499-1566), mistress of Henry II of France).

23. …no woman is a genius. Women are a decorative sex. They never have anything to say, but the say it charmingly. Women represent the triumph of matter over mind, just as men represent the triumph of mind over morals (O.Wilde, English writer).

24. I find that, ultimately, there are only two kinds of women, the plain and the coloured. The plain women are very useful… The other women are very charming. They commit one mistake, however. They paint in order to try and look young… As long as a woman can look ten years younger than her own daughter, she is perfectly satisfied. As for conversation, there are only five women in London worth talking to, and two of these can't be admitted into decent society (O.Wilde, English writer).

25. Men marry because they are tired; women, because they are curious: both are disappointed (O.Wilde, English writer).

26. One should always be in love. That is the reason one should never marry (O. Wilde, English writer).

27. In our civilization, men are afraid that they will not be men enough, and women are afraid they might be considered only women (Theidor Reik).

28. A woman's guess is much more accurate than a man's certainty (Rudyard Kipling, English writer).

29. Man's love is of man's life a thing apart, it's woman's whole existence (Byron, English writer).

30. Women are not men's equals in anything except responsibility. We are not their inferiors either, or even their superiors. We are quite simply different races (Phyllis McGinley).

31. When men and women agree, it is only in their conclusions; their reasons are always different (George Santayana)

32. Women like silent men - they think they're listening (Marcel Achard).

33. A talkative woman is one who does talk as much as a man (Cheris Kramer).

34. It is probably a universal fact that in all cultures there are differences in how men and women communicate because in all cultures the genders are socially distinguished (Nancy Bonvillain).

35. … men use curse words with greater frequency and greater profane force than do woman (Nancy Bonvillain).

36. In societies with entranched gender hierarchy, where women and their behavior are disvalued, inequalities in linguistic images is one sign of the denigration of women (Nancy Bonvillain).

37. Adjectives referring to physical characteristics of females are often used in contexts where comparable modifiers for males would not likely occur. Even public figures and political leaders who are women typically have their appearance or clothing commented upon by the media. This practice reminds woman that they are never free from scrutiny and that their physical image is a crucial part of their being (Nancy Bonvillain).

38. Women are restricted, through language, to their roles in relation to man, either as wives or as sexual beings. And their behavior in other spheres of life is disvalued through negative connotations associated with their activities. The English language, then, creates and reinforces cultural models of gender that help maintain social privilege for males and undermine the status and self-worth of females (Nancy Bonvillain).

39. Through all the drama whether damned or not -

Love gilds the scene, and women guide the plot. (Richard Sheridan).

4. Split into two teams: females and males. How would you like to spend $100. List ten possibilities.

4. Tell about the role of women in Ukraine.

4. Tell about women's organizations. What are their goals?

4. Describe a famous Ukrainian woman and tell why you admire her.

4. In many languages more important components usually occur earlier in sentences. Analyze the following pairs, paying attention to "focus-fronting": "man and woman", "male and female", 'he or she", "bride and groom", "husband and wife", "ladies and gentlemen", "good and bad", "rich and poor", "older and younger", "parents and children". Which examples denote primary status of males?

4. According to N.Bonvillan's observation, after the wedding the couple is transformed from "bride and groom" to "husband and wife, where female appear in linguistic second place. What change in social status do these conventionalized expressions imply?

4. Speak on the history of feminism. What is your own attitude to it?