ABSTRACT
An invitation to tell my own story about what historical influences guide my research and writing, why I choose to study the gendered nature of students' talk about texts, where my interpretations come from, and what I hope to accomplish with this line of inquiry came at a time when the University of Georgia's College of Education faculty was taking its first serious look at multicultural education. The College's attention to issues of cultural diversity (beyond the obligatory affirmative action policies that were in place) seemed a milestone, as far as I could determine, and I welcomed the opportunity to think creatively about my role in this new initiative. It was, as Gilbert (1993) alludes to in her statement above, a time for storyingÐa time for putting into narrative form the frameworks that guide my scholarship and support my valuesÐso that this story, too, might be read, responded to, and changed as I continue working toward writing gender into reading research. But first, before getting into the story, let me set the stage.
