Cathy Bruno Due February 8th, 2012 ID1800 Half the Sky Introduction Summary Thesis Statement: The

moral issue that should be the focus of the twenty-first century is gender equality around the world. Three Specific Thesis Ideas: 1. Women all around the world, continued to be oppressed and taken advantage of, especially in poorer third world countries. 2. In many places where extreme oppression is occurring, there is a stigma that exists which puts women in the position that they would rather abort their unborn babies than deliver them into an oppressive male-dominant world. 3. Stories of women who have prevailed should be told around the world to spread awareness and incite action for gender equality and justice. Three Quotes and their Relationship to the Thesis: 1. More girls are killed in this routine gendercide in any one decade than people were slaughtered in all the genocides of the twentieth century (XVII). This shows how large the problem of gender inequality around the world is it is not simply a societal problem, women are being oppressed, abused, and killed. 2. In the Fujian Province, China, a peasant raved to us about ultrasound:We dont have to have daughters anymore!(XVI). The stigma that exists continues to linger in parts of the world that women are inferior to men and are a disgrace and useless in society, while men are a blessing. 3. We believe that in this century the paramount moral challenge will be the struggle for gender equality around the world(XVII). This quotes emphasizes the thesis statement and what the writers intended to do by writing this book and chronicling the struggles of these women. Historical Significance: Just this introduction shows that even though the Western civilization has greatly improved the status of women, there is still inequality and abuse that goes on there and more so in other parts of the world. This moral issue has still not received enough coverage to incite any action because

it is such a severe topic, but this book looks to give personal stories of hope and perseverance to show that women do hold up half the sky and that the rest of the world should help to free them.