Of the many women who have contributed to the making of knowledge in composition, three theorists in particular are excellent representatives of a feminine rhetoric that is changing the rhetorical tradition from hierarchy and authoritative achievement to a relational, collaborative, and integrated process. Mina Shaughnessy is the quintessential practitioner/inquirer--dedicated, intolerant of inequalities in education, and determined to strengthen the marginalized, to let them learn. Her goal is to empower the writer by knowledge through relational and collaborative measures. Her practice led to the theory that teachers and students learn most as equal participants in a dialogic process. Next, Linda Flower is a formalist, basing her research on the construction of a model and on the testing of that model against the system it represents. Flower's rhetoric, with its emphasis on transformation, growth and learning, and its problem-solving approach, contrasts with an androcentric rhetoric's aim to "win" and establish authority. Not insignificant is her considerable involvement in collaboratively conducted and authored research. Finally, Janet Emig has revolutionized composition theory and practice with her focus on writing as a mode of learning. She characterized composition as at a pre-paradigmatic stage and demonstrated that intellectual history is a tacit tradition, founded on multi-disciplinary approaches. Her philosophy of writing is unabashedly human-centered, her rhetoric founded on collaboration and community. Because of these women's contributions, rhetoric now includes relationship, growth, community, and learning as well as achievement, authoritative weight, and victory. (Twenty-five references are attached.) (KEH)