Book Thoughts: The Purity Myth

Title: The Purity Myth
Author: Jessica Valenti

I don't read nonfiction very often. Frequently I find it kind of dry and dull. The Purity Myth, however, is an exception.

Written with passion, snark, and extensive research, Jessica Valenti writes about "how America's obsession with virginity is hurting young women." She discusses much of the existing literature about women's sexuality and describes in alarming detail the state of sex ed across the nation.

Kids are being taught that condoms don't work to scare them out of having sex? Seriously? All that's going to do is stop them from being safe when they have sex. It's not going to prevent teen sexuality.

Valenti has a very obvious feminist bias, but not the kind of feminism that makes people roll their eyes and say "oh, one of those." She's feminist in the sense that she truly wants social equality for everyone regardless of gender, and this book is a very compelling argument as to why.

If you're looking for a well-written nonfiction book about something that is directly relevant to your life, definitely give this one a shot.

Book Thoughts: The Pregnancy Project

Title: The Pregnancy Project
Author: Gaby Rodriguez

Gaby Rodriguez is my age -- high school class of 2011. I think that only made her story that much more powerful for me. She grew up the daughter of a single mom and the youngest of eight kids; her mom had her first child at age fifteen. Most if not all of her older siblings became parents as teens. Gaby has spent her whole life hearing that she'll never amount to anything and that she'll be a teen mom too.

She's done everything she can to reject those stereotypes; she's in the top five percent of her class, she isn't sexually active, and she has plans to be the first in her family to go to college. But still the stereotypes are there.

So for her senior project, she pretends to be pregnant. Her project is about the negative effect of stereotypes, and she lives it. For six months, she endures the snide comments and social pressure facing soon-to-be teen moms, telling only a handful of people (including her mom and boyfriend, but not her siblings or her boyfriend's parents).

Gaby deals with an incredible amount of pressure and her experience is truly powerful. I am simply awed by what a girl my age did to reach out to those around her, and I wish everyone could read this book and see how damaging stereotypes truly are and the strength of character it takes to press on despite having everyone set against you.

I don't have words for the effect this book had on me. The world I grew up in is so vastly different from the one Gaby grew up in, and her story is eye-opening. Definitely, definitely read it.