What was Barbie's first date with Ken like? Write a short story about this from a 1960s Barbie's point of view, then do the same for a 1970s Barbie and a 1990s Barbie. What do your stories tell you about how you think of these decades?

Make a list of all the toys you can remember playing with as a child. Write an essay on how these toys contribute to a child's sense of him-or herself as a boy or a girl.

Interview an equal number of men and women, asking them what they consider to be their own most appealing attributes, and what they consider to be the most appealing attributes in a mate. Write an essay describing what similarities and differences you find and what this tells you about how we see ourselves in terms of our gender identity and...