Analysis Of Deborah Blum's 'The Gender Blur'

Throughout my reading of Deborah Blum’s, “The Gender Blur: Where Does Biology End and Society Take Over?” I have to admit that I had some mixed feelings. My initial reaction upon first glance, was that the essay was very intriguing. The title was inviting, the topic was argumentative, and the opening was captivating. However, after reading further and analyzing it from a rhetorical perspective, I admit that I was disappointed. Although Blum did indeed demonstrate examples of each ethos, pathos, and logos appeals, filling her writing with facts after facts, the overall writing was not well put together.
When starting off this reading, I was engaged immediately. Giving credit where credit is due, Blum started off with an ethos appeal which remained

Throughout her essay she stayed consistent in providing a number of facts, proving to her readers that she did her research in each topic she addressed. However, this was also where her fault lies. Blum started off a beginning paragraph saying, “Consider the following statistics: Crime reports in both United States and Europe record between ten and fifteen robberies committed by men for every one by a woman.” (Blum 3). This statement in appearance seems as if we are all “learning something,” however, it has no credibility to back it up. The following paragraph she started off saying, “Three fourths of men use guns in those killings; 50 percent of women do.” (Blum 4). Another statistic with no credibility. In another paragraph she begins, “Let me make a cautious statement about testosterone. It not only has some body building functions, it influences some behaviors as well.” (Blum 14). This statement alone contradicts many of her previous ideas, and when analyzed from a rhetorical viewpoint, once again has no solid credibility to back it up. In nearly every paragraph throughout the first half of her essay, Blum started off with a new statistic or uncommonly known fact, none of which having any sort of credibility tied to them. This means that her readers are just trusting that what she says is proven to be true which could or could not be the case. This does not devaluate the overall credibility of her arguments considering ethos is in fact a very estimable appeal in writing. However, in Blum’s writing, it was excessive and I began to question how creditable all of these facts