Peggy Orenstein

Peggy Orenstein (born November 22, 1961) is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Boys & Sex, Girls & Sex, Cinderella Ate My Daughter and Waiting for Daisy, as well as Don’t Call Me Princess, Flux, and the classic Schoolgirls.

Her TED talk has been viewed over 5.5 million times.

A frequent contributor to the New York Times Magazine, she was named in 2012 by The Columbia Journalism Review as one of its "40 Women Who Changed the Media Business in the Past 40 Years".

In books and magazine articles Peggy Orenstein writes about the politics of every day life, usually relating to gender.

Her book Schoolgirls was groundbreaking in its discussion of educational inequity.

In Flux she explored the life choices of a generation of ethnically diverse, middle class women in their mid-20s to mid-40s.

Waiting for Daisy was her memoir of infertility, cancer and motherhood.

In Cinderella Ate My Daughter she exposed the “girlie girl” culture being marketed to young children.

Girls & Sex and Boys & Sex broke silences around teenage sexual behavior, sexualized media, and hookup culture, calling for healthier, open dialogue between parents and children as well as expanded positive-based sex and relationship education in schools.

She has also written extensively about breast cancer and the limits of mammographic screening and early detection.

Orenstein has been named by the Columbia Journalism Review "40 women who changed the media business in the past 40 years."

She has also been recognized by the "Council on Contemporary Families for her "Outstanding Coverage of Family Diversity.”

She has received two “Books for a Better Life” awards.

Her magazine work has also been honored by the Commonwealth Club of California, the National Women’s Political Caucus of California, and Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

She was the recipient of fellowships from the United States-Japan Foundation and the Asian Cultural Council.