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julie_sadoublep's review against another edition
5.0
Required reading for everyone- parents of girls and boys alike.
jedakel's review against another edition
4.0
Gave me a lot to think about, both reflecting on my own experiences, and as a parent. Boys & Sex is definitely on my “to read” list now.
tehmegan's review against another edition
4.0
This book is NOT objective. Go into it with that understanding and you will enjoy this book a lot more. Orenstein brings up many valid, solid points and provides "evidence" for her opinions, but at the end of the day, sex is a complicated issue.
She does point out that the US does a super shitty job of sex education (which I can attest to) and shines light on the fact that parents need to overcome the awkwardness of discussing sex with their children and just talk about it. It's only awkward if you let it be. An open and honest conversation will go much farther than the punishments doled out down the road.
The stories of the girls that Orenstein used shouldn't be discounted, but also shouldn't be held as the end all, be all of every girl's sexual experience. Nonetheless, many sexual assault victims can probably identify with at least one of the stories used.
She does point out that the US does a super shitty job of sex education (which I can attest to) and shines light on the fact that parents need to overcome the awkwardness of discussing sex with their children and just talk about it. It's only awkward if you let it be. An open and honest conversation will go much farther than the punishments doled out down the road.
The stories of the girls that Orenstein used shouldn't be discounted, but also shouldn't be held as the end all, be all of every girl's sexual experience. Nonetheless, many sexual assault victims can probably identify with at least one of the stories used.
nancyflanagan's review against another edition
5.0
A terrific book, filled with dismaying information, research and anecdotal evidence that when it comes to liberating young women, we may be in worse shape than we were before the Women's Movement in the 1970s. I think Orenstein gets it right, sharing what she learned from speaking to 70 young women about their sexual experiences--and correctly noting that things are different in other First World nations. Our policies and cultural norms have not helped young American women realize their birthright: sexual confidence and satisfaction.
What makes the book so good is Orentstein's writing--bits of snark and humor enliven what could be a parade of depressing stories and statistics. It's like having a conversation with a really smart friend.
What makes the book so good is Orentstein's writing--bits of snark and humor enliven what could be a parade of depressing stories and statistics. It's like having a conversation with a really smart friend.
wjacksonata's review against another edition
3.0
It has been 35 years since I was my daughter's age, and I need all the help I can get to understand the modern context of teen/tween girls (they didn't even have tweens when I was that age). There is no shortage of material describing in exquisite and horrifying detail the toxicity for teens of social media, dangers of the internet more broadly, and the perils of smartphones. As a result, I feel like I am prepping myself (and her) for harrowing times ahead.
Orenstein's book is well-researched and quite thorough, but I wish it would have been less descriptive and with more concrete and explicit advice. The last chapter provides some useful material, but it is in the context of delivery to teens by specialist sex education experts. Is this the only way? This book - while providing extensive material on why I need to be worried - has only been somewhat helpful in terms of understanding what more I can do as a parent.
Orenstein's book is well-researched and quite thorough, but I wish it would have been less descriptive and with more concrete and explicit advice. The last chapter provides some useful material, but it is in the context of delivery to teens by specialist sex education experts. Is this the only way? This book - while providing extensive material on why I need to be worried - has only been somewhat helpful in terms of understanding what more I can do as a parent.
tera_schreiber's review against another edition
5.0
I recommend this book for women, adolescent girls, parents of all adolescent people, and anyone who plans to ever have sex with an adolescent girl or a woman. What a great deal of useful information and thought-provoking questions for us all to consider about the cultural issues relating to sex especially for young people. It's a great tool for talking to our kids of both genders about sex, what they might run into socially, and what they can strive for when it comes to health, safety, and pleasure.
kimabill's review against another edition
4.0
I thought this was an excellent book describing some of the ways in which the media, schools, and religions have done girls a big disservice as far as sex education is concerned. Even though I realize a lot of the author's methods aren't exactly scientific, I feel like she is able to point out a lot of disturbing trends which, once you are aware of them, you can't stop seeing everywhere.
eburgardt's review against another edition
I forgot how much Orenstein’s Clinton-era feminism pisses me off. Her name automatically corrects to all caps yelling on my phone for a reason
bk_gjendem's review against another edition
5.0
She will rip the heart out of your chest, chomp on it, toss it on the floor and grind it to bits in the dust. At least it felt that way to me, because she talked about the world in which my babies are growing up.
Before this book, I'd just read "Untangled" by Dr. Lisa Damour. About porn she said to parents, you don't want to know what's out there. Believe me, I've seen it. You do NOT want to know. And she left it at that. Peggy Orenstein? She said to parents, you don't want to know what's out there. Then she elaborated -- very explicitly -- on what is out there. That, my friends, is the difference between a clinical psychologist and a journalist. I'm grateful for both.
I've read Orenstein's work before ("Cinderella Ate My Daughter"). For this book, she interviewed more than 70 young women, ages 15-20. It's heavy, heavy stuff and often hard to read, but it's important and valuable information.
Before this book, I'd just read "Untangled" by Dr. Lisa Damour. About porn she said to parents, you don't want to know what's out there. Believe me, I've seen it. You do NOT want to know. And she left it at that. Peggy Orenstein? She said to parents, you don't want to know what's out there. Then she elaborated -- very explicitly -- on what is out there. That, my friends, is the difference between a clinical psychologist and a journalist. I'm grateful for both.
I've read Orenstein's work before ("Cinderella Ate My Daughter"). For this book, she interviewed more than 70 young women, ages 15-20. It's heavy, heavy stuff and often hard to read, but it's important and valuable information.
sharimeyer's review against another edition
3.0
I heard an interview with Peggy Orenstein on the NYT book review podcast back when this book came out and it probably was enough; reading the whole book didn't add much for me.