The Guardian today announced that it has hired leading feminist writer and author Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) as a columnist. The announcement was made by Guardian US editor-in-chief Janine Gibson. In her new role, Valenti will write daily for the Guardian's US Comment is Free opinion section on a broad range of issues, including feminism, culture and politics.
Valenti is the first of several major new hires as part of the Guardian's plan to significantly expand its roster of thought-provoking and diverse voices. In February, the Guardian hired Matt Sullivan, formerly of the New York Times, as US opinion editor.
Valenti was previously a columnist for The Nation, where she wrote weekly for TheNation.com and penned the bi-monthly 'Body Politic' column. She is the founder of Feministing.com, which Columbia Journalism Review called "head and shoulders above almost any writing on women's issues in mainstream media." She is the author of four award-winning books, including The Purity Myth: How America's Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women, which won the 2010 Independent Publisher Book Award and was made into a documentary by the Media Education Foundation. Her latest book, Why Have Kids: A New Mom Explores the Truth About Parenting and Happiness, was called a "brave and bracing critique of our unrealistic parenting ideals" by ELLE magazine. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, The American Prospect, Ms. magazine, Salon and Bitch magazine. She is a frequent speaker and media commentator and has appeared on The Colbert Report, CNN, MSNBC, PBS and TODAY show, among others.
"Jessica is a fantastic and fiercely independent voice," said Gibson. "We're huge fans of her writing and delighted to welcome her to Comment is Free as we continue to expand as a leading forum for debate," she added.
"I am thrilled to be joining the smart and dedicated team at Guardian US at such an exciting time," said Valenti. "The Guardian has historically been a home for smart and provocative debate, so to be able to write regularly for them is a real honor. I can't wait to get started," she added.
Valenti will begin at the Guardian on April 21, and will be based in New York.
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For interview or booking requests, please contact:
Gennady Kolker
Director of Media Relations, Guardian US
e: gennady.kolker@theguardian.com
t: 646-937-5878
About Jessica Valenti
Jessica Valenti is the author of four books on feminism, politics and culture. Her third book, The Purity Myth: How America's Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women, won the 2010 Independent Publisher Book Award and was made into a documentary by the Media Education Foundation. She is also editor of the anthology Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power and a World Without Rape, which was named one of Publishers Weekly's Top 100 Books of 2009. Her latest book, Why Have Kids: A New Mom Explores the Truth About Parenting and Happiness, was called a "brave and bracing critique of our unrealistic parenting ideals" by ELLE magazine.
Valenti founded Feministing.com, which Columbia Journalism Review called "head and shoulders above almost any writing on women's issues in mainstream media." Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, The Nation, The Guardian, The American Prospect, Ms. magazine, Salon and Bitch magazine. She has won an IBIS Reproductive Health Evidence in Activism Award, a Choice USA Generation award and the 2011 Hillman Journalism Prize for her work with Feministing.
Valenti is a widely sought-after speaker who gives speeches at colleges, organizations and events across the country and abroad. She is also frequent media commentator and has appeared on The Colbert Report, CNN, MSNBC, PBS and TODAY show, among others.
She received her Masters degree in Women's and Gender Studies from Rutgers University. Jessica lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter.
About Guardian US
Guardian US is the Guardian's New York-based newsroom that covers American and international news for an online, global audience. Guardian US merges the innovation and energy of a startup with independent, groundbreaking, award-winning journalism and backing of the Guardian brand.
About the Guardian
Guardian News & Media (GNM) publishes theguardian.com, the third largest English-speaking newspaper website in the world (comScore, August 2013). Since launching its US and Australia digital editions in 2011 and 2013 respectively, traffic from outside of the UK now represents over two-thirds of the Guardian's total digital audience.