The construction of gender is a systematic process that begins at birth and is continually shaped, molded, and reshaped throughout life. This book examines practices with young children with respect to the construction of gender and the expectations of society, schools, and families. The book is organized into two parts. The first part considers the family, community, and society as contexts for developing notions about gender. The second part of the book examines the role of schools in relation to the construction of gender and the expectations that are placed on students based on the gender group to which they have been assigned. An introductory chapter, "Blurring the Edges" (Yelland and Grieshaber), discusses gender-related issues and provides an overview of the book. Part I,"Family, Community, and Society," contains the following chapters: (1) "Constructing the Gendered Infant" (Grieshaber); (2) "Boys and Girls with Disabilities: Maternal Expectations of Gender Behaviour and Independence" (Bower); (3) "The Body, Young Children, and Popular Culture" (Gilbert); (4) "Toward a Most Thorough Understanding of the World: Sexual Orientation and Early Childhood Education" (Casper, Cuffaro, Schultz, Silin, and Wickins); and (5) "Gendered Settings and Human Rights in Early Childhood" (Farrell). Part II, "Aspects of Gender in School Contexts," contains the following chapters: (1) "Gender Equity Policies and Early Childhood Education" (Martinez); (2) "The Politics of Category Membership in Early Childhood Settings" (Davies); (3) "Improving Our Gender Equity 'Tools': A Case for Discourse Analysis" (Mac Naughton); (4) "The Serious and Playful Work of Gender: Talk and Social Order in a Preschool Classroom" (Danby); (5) "Gendermaps" (Lowe); (6) "'The Pink's Run Out!' The Place of Artmaking in Young Children's Construction of the Gendered Self" (White); and (7) "Making Sense of Gender Issues in Mathematics and Technology" (Yelland). (Each chapter contains references.) (LPP)