Author, blogger speaking at Feminist Symposium

Author and feministing.com founder Jessica Valenti will give the keynote speech at Cornell College’s sixth annual Feminist Symposium at 7 p.m. on March 10 in King Chapel.

Valenti, who was called one of the Top 100 Inspiring Women in the world by The Guardian is the author of three books: “Full Frontal Feminism: A Young Woman’s Guide to Why Feminism Matters,” “He’s a Stud, She’s a Slut…and 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know” and “The Purity Myth: How America’s Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women.” “The Purity Myth” has also been made into a documentary by the Media Education Foundation.  She is the 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 writing has also appeared in The Washington Post, The Nation, The Guardian, The American Prospect, Ms., Salon and Bitch.

Valenti has won a Choice USA Generation award and the 2011 Hillman Journalism Prize for her work with feministing.com. She has appeared on “The Colbert Report” and “The Today Show,” and was profiled in The New York Times Magazine under the headline “Fourth Wave Feminism.”

Hosted by the Third Wave Resource Group, the symposium is an academic conference that places an emphasis on women’s, feminist and gender issues. Students, staff, faculty and community members are welcome to present their research or come as an active audience member. The symposium will take place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Hedges Conference Room and Shaw Lounge in the Thomas Commons and is free and open to the public.