Schoolgirls; Young Women, Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap

by Peggy Orenstein

First published 1996

Eighth-graders Lisa, Suzy, and Evie struggle to reconcile their ambitions with gender norms at Weston Middle School. Across town, LaRhonda, April, and Marta face even steeper challenges, battling low expectations and violence just to be heard. In this gripping exposé, journalist Peggy Orenstein shines a light on the crisis of adolescent girls' self-esteem, demanding we reimagine how we raise and educate our daughters.

Genres: american-fiction, gender-studies, feminism, adolescence, social-issues, non-fiction

Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking

Tropes: coming-of-age, social-commentary

Setting: United States

335 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday

Content warnings: sexism

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