After reading the essays, you are going to write an essay yourself in which you will argue a specific issue around gender.  You will research this issue and decide your opinion about this issue.  Your thesis will clearly state the issue you are arguing and why.

1. Write a short reflective paragraph on your childhood memories and experiences which helped shape your gender identities. Address what messages you received as a child about what it meant to be a "boy" or a "girl." Also, discuss who sent those messages (parents, teachers, coaches, other kids, etc.). This is not to be an academic piece, but a reflective effort regarding your own experiences. When you go home, re-write the paragraph you just wrote and include a quote from one of the readings or the video.  You will be expected to include this paragraph and quote in your next essay (5 points)
2. Just BecauseWrite your poem and include it in your essay package (5 points)
3. Vocabulary for your Essay View Download (5 points)
4. Rogerian Argument View Download (5 points)  access this site for more information: Argumentative essay

For longer papers, thesis statements can be very complex.

While [a specific, named person] says [a direct quote or paraphrase from the source], [a different, named person] says [something else]. While the two authors disagree over [a minor point], they both share a deep concern over [the topic of your paper]. [Person one's] refusal to accept [a particular point made by person two]suggests that [person one] is [your thesis -- stating the real reason why person one won't agree with person two].

Parts of a Thesis Statement

The thesis statement has 3 main parts: the limited subject, the precise opinion, and the blueprint of reason

• Born into Brothels
• Outlines (5 points)
• Thesis statement  (5 points)

• logical fallacies

• Argumentative essay