This article explores the gendered lives of students and how, in their eyes, gender stereotypes continue to be a major part of their world. Four hundred forty students in five diverse middle schools were surveyed about the advantages and drawbacks of each sex. Specifically, students were asked via a questionnaire to write a brief description of the "best" and "worst" thing about being a boy and the "best" and "worst" thing about being a girl. All students were asked all four questions, so each student not only evaluated his or her own gender, but also evaluated the other gender. Their words suggest that gender plays a significant role in their lives, expanding some options, but more often limiting the academic and social development of females and males. The first-person accounts of these middle school students bring a renewed energy to the need for gender equity efforts in schools to broaden our understandings of masculinity and femininity. (Contains 4 figures and 10 tables.)