Peggy Orenstein

Peggy Orenstein is a New York Times best-selling author known for her insightful exploration of gender and sexuality issues in contemporary youth culture. Her books include "Boys & Sex", "Girls & Sex", "Cinderella Ate My Daughter", and "Waiting for Daisy". Her newest book, "Girls & Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape," was published by Harper in 2016. Other notable works include "Flux: Women on Sex, Work, Love, Kids, and Life in a Half-Changed World" and the classic "SchoolGirls: Young Women, Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap." Orenstein is a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine and has written for a range of reputable publications such as The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, New York Magazine, The Atlantic, and The New Yorker.

Orenstein has been recognized internationally as an expert on the challenges facing teens, college students, and their parents. She addresses significant issues such as sexual consent, the influences of media and pornography, the rise of hookup culture, and gender socialization. Her TED Talk, “What Young Women Believe About Their Own Sexual Pleasure,” has been viewed over 4.6 million times, underlining her reach and impact.

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Orenstein is a graduate of Oberlin College and resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, filmmaker Steven Okazaki, and their daughter, Daisy. She has been honored with numerous awards including recognition from the Council on Contemporary Families and a Books For A Better Life Award for "Waiting for Daisy". Her work and her approach to addressing complex topics in her speeches and writings have been widely praised, contributing to her reputation as a thought leader in discussions about youth and gender in society.