NONFICTION - Dec. 11, 1994

THE DIFFERENCE: Growing Up Female in America by Judy Mann. (Warner: $22.95; 317 pp.) “For most gender differences, the argument that biology is destiny simply doesn’t hold up. What is most devastating to the argument, however, is this: The differences are shrinking.” So says Judy Mann in her book, “The Difference,” an informative, yet poorly conceived look at how patriarchal culture smothers every aspect of a girl’s life. The shrinking difference she refers to is the rise in girl’s math scores if they are given proper encouragement at school and at home.

Mann’s ideas are organized in short, blurb-like sections that often repeat the same information again and again. Her arguments are well meaning, and anyone with a feminist bone in their body would agree with most of what she has to say, especially concerning education, yet her evidence can be suspect. For example, to experience firsthand the advantages of an all-girls school, Mann visits Madeira, which is “Located on almost 400 acres of lush meadows and woods in Fairfax County, Virginia.” She finds the girls to be curious, supportive and academically confident. One Latin class in particular, which has only four students, seems to be filled with a wonderful atmosphere of cooperation and trust. What a shock. Yes, gender bias is prevalent in our schools. It’s a terrible problem. However, let’s draw comparisons from a level playing field since most teachers would have an easier time explaining Latin to four German Shepards than 40 angry urban teen-agers in a dangerous, underfunded public school.

Judy Mann is obviously very committed to improving the fate of girls in the country. She is an intelligent, caring writer. It hurts not to like this book.