Through the presentation of thirty-six essays, this volume addresses issues of race, ethnicity, religion, and sexuality, providing an inclusive history of U. S. women. These essays also incorporate many new developments in women's history -- emerging views on American women in global perspective, considerations of masculinity, explorations of women of privilege, and increased emphasis on lesbians and Jewish women. Addressing questions regarding the rise of multiculturalism its impact on women's history, political changes, and the hope for a more equitable future, this work provides a commentary on what it means to be a woman in the United States in modern times.