Jessica Valenti

Abelin-Bevier Fellow

Jessica Valenti is a feminist columnist and author and the founder of the daily newsletter Abortion, Every Day, an urgent synthesis of the political and real-life consequences of abortion bans. From anti-choice legislation, to battles in state courts, to the stories of women denied access to care, Valenti’s newsletter has become an indispensable source of news and explanatory journalism on the rollback of abortion rights in post-Dobbs America. Jessica has also authored eight books on feminism, the latest being “Abortion: Our Bodies, Their Lies, and the Truths We Use to Win.” Her book, “Sex Object: A Memoir,” was named a New York Times bestseller. With support from Type, she intends to further expand her newsletter’s reach and to deepen its investigations and continue to bring attention to smaller stories from undercovered and rural areas. 

https://www.jessicavalenti.com

Books

Abortion: Our Bodies, Their Lies, and the Truths We Use to Win

Jessica Valenti

In a stirring and succinct examination of post-Roe America, “one of the most successful and visible feminists of her generation” takes on what’s become the country’s most resonant political issue.

In her most urgent book yet, New York Times bestselling author Jessica Valenti shines a light on the conservative assault on women’s freedom, cutting through the misinformation and overwhelm to inform, engage, and enrage. From the attacks Americans know about to the ones anti-abortion lawmakers and groups are trying to hide, Valenti details the tactics and horrors that she’s been painstakingly tracking in her acclaimed newsletter, Abortion, Every Day.

Sex Object: A Memoir

Jessica Valenti

Hailed by the Washington Post as “one of the most visible and successful feminists of her generation,” Jessica Valenti has been leading the national conversation on gender and politics for over a decade. Now, in a memoir thatPublishers Weekly calls “bold and unflinching,” Valenti explores the toll that sexism takes on women’s lives, from the everyday to the existential. From subway gropings and imposter syndrome to sexual awakenings and motherhood, Sex Object reveals the painful, embarrassing, and sometimes illegal moments that shaped Valenti’s adolescence and young adulthood in New York City.

In the tradition of writers like Joan Didion and Mary Karr, Sex Object is a profoundly moving tour de force that is bound to shock those already familiar with Valenti’s work, and enthrall those who are just finding it.

Believe Me: How Trusting Women Can Change the World

Jessica Valenti, Jaclyn Friedman

What would happen if we believed women? A groundbreaking anthology offers a potent rallying cry and theory of change.

Harvey Weinstein. Brett Kavanaugh. Jeffrey Epstein. Donald Trump. The most infamous abusers in modern American history are being outed as women speak up to publicly expose behavior that was previously only whispered about — and it’s both making an impact, and sparking a backlash. From the leading, agenda-setting feminist editors of Yes Means Yes, Believe Me brings readers into the evolving landscape of the movement against sexual violence, and outlines how trusting women is the critical foundation for future progress.
In Believe Me, contributors ask and answer the crucial question: What would happen if we didn’t just believe women, but acted as though they matter? If we take women’s experiences of online harassment seriously, it will transform the internet. If we listen to and center survivors, we could revolutionize our systems of justice. If we believe Black women when they talk about pain, we will save countless lives.
With contributions from many of the most important voices in feminism today, Believe Me is an essential roadmap for the #MeToo era and beyond.

Highlights

An Arkansas Nightmare is Anti-Choice 'Victory'

An Arkansas woman’s harrowing ordeal under the state’s near-total abortion ban underscores the human toll of restrictive policies, as Republicans face criticism for blocking contraception legislation and shifting blame onto doctors. Amidst rising tensions over reproductive rights, the article sheds light on the emotional and physical anguish inflicted by anti-abortion measures.

Jessica Valenti Abortion, Every Day

Now Republicans Are Trying to Redefine Abortion Itself

With post-Roe outrage showing no sign of waning, strategists on the right are pushing a new lexicon on abortion.

Jessica Valenti The New York Times