This book written by Rayna R. Reiter takes its roots in the women's movement and uses the possibilities of anthropology to define and explain gender equality and inequality.

Anthropology focusing more on “modern” societies "other" cultures and intercultural differences and similarities, which are not interested / ignored by many disciplines provides information on the origins and functions of family systems, gender roles, and how gender is shaped.

This collection of essays provides comprehensive information to readers about “differences or divisions between men and women”, “the presence of a male bias in anthropology”, “the origin of the family”, “the matriarchy” and “political economy of sex” and the gender equality and inequality in the countryside of many countries such as Papua New Guinea, Dominican Republic, Spain, Colombia, Nigeria, and China.