How do individuals form their opinions about gender issues? In this article, we draw upon work on public policy and the social organization of gender to provide a framework for thinking about the existing literature. We strive to illuminate the ways in which the literature's disagreements-about the conceptual scope of the field, about predispositions and policy views, and about theory and explanation-lay the groundwork for a conversation that will bring to light new aspects of the field and provide directions for future research.