JO-ANN FINKELSTEIN at Books Inc. Berkeley

Join psychologist and author Jo-Ann Finkelstein at Books Inc. Berkeley for a discussion of her book Sexism & Sensibility: Raising Empowered, Resilient Girls in the Modern World!

Jo-Ann will be joined in conversation by local author Ruth Whippman.

An invaluable guide to understanding and dismantling sexism for parents trying to raise confident and powerful girls in a culture that often demeans them.
We live in a world of mixed messages for women: You can be anything you want to be, but don’t expect to be paid equally for it. It’s what's inside that counts, but be sure to wax, bleach, and slim down what’s outside first. Most parents find it easier to tell girls how strong and equal they are than to talk about how the world can be particularly difficult or scary for them. But when we don’t address the challenging or disturbing experiences most girls endure, we contribute to the problem.
Jo-Ann Finkelstein, a Harvard-educated psychologist who has worked with girls of all ages for two decades, unpacks the universal experiences that girls live with and helps parents safeguard and fine-tune their daughters’ natural “sexism detectors.” Full of concrete solutions for helping girls understand and confront sexism in all its guises, Sexism and Sensibility includes:

• How to talk to girls about chauvinism, gender stereotyping, objectification, bodily autonomy, and consent.
• How to help girls resist internalizing limited and distorting cultural messages.
• How to teach girls what to do when their boundaries have been crossed.
• How to help guide girls to identify and contest the microaggressions they face in school, in the media, in relationships, and in public.
• How to notice and combat sexism in our own parenting.

An urgently needed resource for proactive parenting, Sexism and Sensibility is an essential tool to help girls make sense of how they will likely be treated in the world before that treatment erodes their self-esteem.

“Sexism & Sensibility offers seasoned and sensible guidance on the toughest topics in raising girls: misogyny, objectification, body image, confidence, harassment, sexual development, and more. Full of realistic and reassuring guidance, this engaging book should be required reading for anyone who is raising, educating, or caring for girls. I am thrilled for the families and girls who will benefit from Dr. Finkelstein’s wisdom.”—Lisa Damour, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of The Emotional Lives of Teenagers
“Refusing to settle for easy answers, Jo-Ann Finkelstein uses fascinating real-life examples from her therapy practice to show how sexism is in no way a thing of the past. In Sexism & Sensibility, she empowers girls and their parents to tackle the misogyny that still lurks in the shadows of everyday life. A must read—not just for parents of daughters but for anyone with an interest in the future of women and girls.”—Ruth Whippman, author of BoyMom and America the Anxious
“An insightful, relevant, and compassionate book, Sexism & Sensibility will empower parents to navigate their thorniest questions about raising a generation in today’s socially conscious yet backlash-prone times. Revealing how deeply-ingrained gender norms can harm our children’s self-esteem and limit their potential, it offers a roadmap to heal ourselves and liberate our kids.”—Devorah Heitner, PhD, author of Growing Up in Public
“Jo-Ann Finkelstein is an expert at explaining the insidious ways that our daughters will bump up against gender expectations in their lifetimes, but it’s her insights on the ways that these expectations impact our parenting that are truly eye-opening. Sexism & Sensibility is essential reading for new parents everywhere.”—Rosalind Wiseman, New York Times bestselling author of Queen Bees and Wannabes
“A vital addition to the literature about the desperate state of girls in our toxic culture. Dr. Finkelstein offers a light to illuminate this dark landscape and a map to navigate it. In an engaging style, rich with stories, she encourages us to challenge the stereotypes and the sexism that wound and too often destroy our girls (and boys too) and gives us concrete strategies for action and resistance. Her wisdom has never been more necessary.”—Jean Kilbourne, EdD, award-winning documentary filmmaker of Killing Us Softly and author of Can’t Buy My Love

Jo-Ann Finkelstein, PhD, a clinical psychologist, trained at Harvard University and Northwestern University and now maintains a private clinical practice rooted in an understanding of how bias, social justice, and mental health intersect. An expert blogger for Psychology Today, her work has been highlighted in The New York Times, The Harvard Business Review, Women’s Health, Oprah Daily, and on HuffPost and CNN. Her writing has appeared in Ms., Your Teen, and Medium, among other publications. Dr. Finkelstein has served on the board of the Chicago Chapter of the National Organization for Women, volunteered for Planned Parenthood PAC, and was an organizer for the Chicago Women’s March. She lives in Chicago, Illinois.

Ruth Whippman is a British author, journalist and cultural critic living in the United States. A former BBC documentary director and producer, her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Time magazine, New York magazine, The Guardian, HuffPost, and elsewhere. Fortune described her as one of the "25 sharpest minds" of the decade. She is the author of the book America the Anxious, which was a New York Post Best Book of the Year, a New York Times Editors Choice and Paperback Row pick. She lives in California with her husband and three sons.

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