Acclaimed US author Peggy Orenstein visits Mount St Benedict College

Internationally-renowned journalist, acclaimed US author and TED speaker, Peggy Orenstein delivered a compelling presentation* to parents and staff at Mount St Benedict College about the cultural landscape that girls inhabit from toddler to teenager and the challenges they face through media, marketing and consumerism.

Peggy Orenstein is the New York Times bestselling author of Girls and Sex, Cinderella Ate My Daughter, Waiting for Daisy, Flux, and Schoolgirls. A contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine, she has been published in USA Today, Parenting, Salon, the New Yorker, and other publications, and has contributed commentary to NPR’s All Things Considered.

Orenstein highlighted the potential negative impact of the new girlie-girl culture, but argued that with awareness and recognition, parents, schools and advocates can effectively counterbalance its influence.

“Our role with older girls is to ask genuine questions that reveal contradictions and urge them to think critically about their world. We need to enable them to actively talk back to culture and get involved in their own media literacy. Intergenerational support is critical in helping them making connections and amplifying their voice.”

*In partnership with the Alliance of Girls’ Schools Australiasia