New book sheds light on modern world of girls and sex

[Jefferson23]

March 29, 2016

Journalist Peggy Orenstein chats about how young women navigate today’s complicated sexual landscape.



Journalist Peggy Orenstein interviewed more than 70 young women, along with psychologists, academics and other experts for her latest book, Girls & Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape.



Over the course of roughly three years, journalist Peggy Orenstein interviewed more than 70 young women, along with psychologists, academics and other experts, about the sexual landscape facing girls today. Those frank discussions — on everything from hookup culture to sexting — formed the basis for her latest book, Girls & Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape. It’s an eye-opening look at how modern young women view intimacy, relationships and their own bodies. We chatted with Orenstein from her home in Berkeley, Calif.

What was your big take-away from all that research?

I went into it as a journalist, author and a parent. The biggest thing that I took away was the necessity of normalizing discussions of sexuality with your kids as a parent, and not putting it into a special box or category — not having “The Talk,” but integrating the broad discussion of sexuality and intimacy and pleasure and all of that into everyday conversation.

Did anything surprise you?

One of the big things that surprised me is how it had become the accepted pathway to a relationship for kids — you start with a hookup, the last thing you do is date. I wasn’t aware of that.

http://www.thestar.com/life/2016/03/29/new-book-sheds-light-on-modern-world-of-girls-and-sex.html

[Brickbat]

1. "You start with a hookup, the last thing you do is date. I wasn’t aware of that."

Has she been living under a rock?

[erpowers]

2. Talk About Sex and Relationships

Last edited Tue Mar 29, 2016, 02:44 PM - Edit history (1)

70 females is a very small sample, but the results she claims she got prove that we need to talk to our sons and daughters about sex and relationships. We need to tell them what we think they should expect from sex and relationships. We need to tell them all the things that happen during sex and even after sex. We need to give them a clear definition of sex. However, we also need to ask ourselves if kids are just lying to themselves and us when it come to abstinence only and oral and anal sex. Is it true that these kids do not think oral and anal sex are really sex or do they realize they are forms sex and are doing them because they are the only forms of sex that someone cannot prove one has had and the only forms of sex with less consequences? You cannot get pregnant or get someone pregnant through oral or anal sex. Do the pressures (especially for girls/only for girls?) of being a virgin and the negative consequences of not being a virgin cause kids to claim they do not think certain forms of sex are really sex?

I saw Peggy Orenstien's interview on CBS This Morning. One of the people interviewing her was Dana Jacobson, who has/had a show on CBS Sports called We Need To Talk. The show is/was an all female hosted sports show. During the interview I wondered if there needed to be a sex talk show like We Need To Talk. Maybe there should be a show hosted by women that discusses women and sex. Just like We Need To Talk, the show could have both male and female guests. However, all of the show's guests could be women. The show could talk about how women feel about sex and what women should expect from sex.

[Jefferson23]

3. I did not see that interview, but yea..the conversations need to expand to

include dispelling myths as you say and an awareness that speaks to pleasure and
empowerment.