Girls are the object of sexism in a culture that largely proclaims sexism is over. It’s confusing to be a girl, and to parent a girl, in today’s world. As parents, we tread a difficult line between preparing our daughters for the world and instilling fear. And what girls sometimes call empowerment (because social media and corporate America tells them it is) we see as the relentless commodification of their lives that leads to emptiness and anxiety.
This newsletter will shine a light on the everyday sexism that our daughters breathe in like second-hand smoke, and will focus on research-informed ideas about what to do to ensure these powerful, astute girls and young women can breathe fully and joyfully, and reach their full potential.
I find I can’t write about girls without also writing about women who, after all, deal with much of the same demeaning nonsense as their daughters. I frequently draw from research and events in the news, show how it relates deeply to you and me and our daughters, which, I’m repeatedly told, provides important validation that IT’S NOT YOU.
What you can expect
As a free subscriber:
A newsletter every other week bringing you nuanced commentary and analysis about being a woman or a girl, or a parent raising a girl.
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Subscriber-only emails
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Monthly AMA (Ask Me Anything) aves moi
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Join this community of like-minded people of all ages that come together and chat in a more personal and nuanced way than we can on social media to better understand the challenges girls and women face in the modern world.
About me
I’m a clinical psychologist and writer in Chicago. My forthcoming book is called Sexism and Sensibility: Raising Empowered, Resilient Girls in the Modern World (Penguin Random House, Sept 2024). I’m an expert blogger for Psychology Today and my work has been highlighted in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Harvard Business Review, Oprah Daily, Parents, Huffington Post, and CNN. My writing has appeared in Ms. Magazine, Your Teen Magazine, and on Medium among others publications. I also enjoy pottery, modern dance, and I’m working on my French and Spanish. I maintain a private practice working with teens, adults, and couples in Chicago.
