
Jessica Valenti
Jessica Valenti is a columnist and author of five books on feminism, politics, and culture. Her latest book, Sex Object: A Memoir, was a New York Times bestseller. Valenti is also editor of the ground-breaking anthology Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power and a World Without Rape and the founder of Feministing.com, which Columbia Journalism Review called “head and shoulders above almost any writing on women’s issues in mainstream media.” She has a Master’s degree in Women’s and Gender Studies and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter.
Latest articles by Jessica Valenti
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Grown Men Don't "Date" Teenagers, They Abuse Them
Let's be real about Roy Moore, people.
By Jessica Valenti
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#MeToo Has Been Empowering, Yes, but Sexism Is Only Getting Worse
Don't let the progress distract you from the truth.
By Jessica Valenti
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Is This Just the Way America Is Now?
Another week, another mass shooting. But our apathy is part of the problem.
By Jessica Valenti
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Why Conservative Women Defend Sexist Men
What is there to gain from protecting misogynists? A lot, apparently.
By Jessica Valenti
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Seriously, Why Do Conservatives Hate Birth Control?
Spoiler alert: It's not about women's health or safety.
By Jessica Valenti
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What If We Just Believed Women?
One of the reasons Harvey Weinstein was able to allegedly prey on women for 30 years is that victims were afraid no one would hear them out if they came forward.
By Jessica Valenti
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Women Should Be Able to Get Their Abortions Like They Get Their Sudafed: Over the Counter
As conservatives dismantle reproductive rights, pro-choicers need to get even bolder.
By Jessica Valenti
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Hugh Hefner Didn't Start the Sexual Revolution—He Profited from It
Women owned their sexuality long before 'Playboy'.
By Jessica Valenti
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The Eternal Uselessness of Ivanka Trump
The advisor to the president says she can't advise him. So what is she doing there?
By Jessica Valenti
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Oh Look, Betsy DeVos Is Here to Protect Your Accused Rapist
Her office wants to undo the last eight years of progress on campus rape.
By Jessica Valenti
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Getting Trump Impeached Isn't Going to Fix America—It's Too Late
And we'd better start facing that reality now.
By Jessica Valenti
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This Is Us: White Americans Can't Distance Themselves from Charlottesville
Pretending our country isn't racist gives cover to dangerous extremists.
By Jessica Valenti
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Why Do We Think Being "Matronly" Is a Bad Thing?
When we disparage something because we think it's for older women, what we're really saying is that older women themselves are not something to aspire to be.
By Jessica Valenti
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Why Trump Is So Afraid of Trans People
Here's the secret: He's not, but he's going to keep pretending he is.
By Jessica Valenti
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This Is the Only Kind of Woman It's Okay to Be in Trump's America
Are you an Ivanka, a Sarah, a Melania, a Kellyanne? Or maybe you're the kind of woman the President is terrified of.
By Jessica Valenti
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Dear Trump Family, You Are Not Victims
Our president has the thinnest skin in political history.
By Jessica Valenti
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Trump Doesn't See Women As People, and That's Why This Keeps Happening—and Will Continue to Happen
His vile tweets about Mika Brzezinski this morning were just the latest evidence of his thinly veiled contempt.
By Jessica Valenti
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So We Can't Even Prosecute Our Rapists Now?
A 19-year-old North Carolina woman was shocked to learn that once you've said "yes" to sex, you apparently can't say "no."
By Jessica Valenti
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If Republicans Are Pro-Life, Why Don't They Care About My Child?
I want babies like my daughter to live and be healthy. What do Republicans want?
By Jessica Valenti
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Why Haven't Republicans Condemned Violent Political Rhetoric Until Now?
Yes, we should be talking about how language can incite violence—but only if both sides can face the truth.
By Jessica Valenti
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Forcing Women to Have Babies They Don't Want Is Costing Them Their Lives
And Democrats, of all people, are starting not to care.
By Jessica Valenti
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We Hold Sasha and Malia Obama to a Higher Standard Than the Trump Children, and That's Ridiculous
They all act like kids, but here's the thing, not all of them are.
By Jessica Valenti