Table of Contents

Foreword, Introduction, CHAPTER 1 Inner Compass, CHAPTER 2 Unplugging, CHAPTER 3 Porn Culture, CHAPTER 4 Sexuality Education for Younger Kids, CHAPTER 5 Sexuality Education for Older Kids and Teenagers, CHAPTER 6 Worthy Girls, CHAPTER 7 Empowering Girls, CHAPTER 8 Worthy Boys, CHAPTER 9 Setting Boys Free, CHAPTER 10 A Hookup Culture Fueled by Alcohol, CHAPTER 11 Moving Beyond Hookups: Finding Communication and Pleasure, Conclusion, Notes, References, Index, Acknowledgments, About the Author

About the Author

Cindy Pierce, comic storyteller and sex educator, engages audiences with her message about making healthy choices and navigating cultural pressures amidst a world with confusing messages on sex. She frequently speaks to groups of parents, educators, and students at colleges, high schools, and middle schools. Her insights on sex education have been featured on NPR's Here & Now. Recently, Cindy has been performing her newest shows, "Comfort in the Stumble" and "Are We There Yet" around New England and the Pacific Northwest. She is the co-author of Finding the Doorbell: Sexual Satisfaction for the Long Haul.Cindy and her husband Bruce live with their three teenage kids in Etna, NH, near Dartmouth College, where they own and run Pierce's Inn. You can learn more about Cindy's work at cindy-pierce.com.

Reviews

"Pierce cites a wide range of problematic media-driven issues for kids (e.g., hypersexualized female body images, violent masculinity) and urges parents to enter into the dialog to give their children alternative ways to behave and think. While Pierce points out seemingly insurmountable pressures on today's youth, she devises a workable plan for guiding them toward healthy life choices." -- Library Journal "Cindy Pierce's new book, Sexploitation, is a comprehensive, wise and sometimes alarming look at the culture of porn that surrounds our kids. Pierce is a straight talker on the subject of sex; she is also a compelling writer and she makes a strong case that parents have to be brave and to talk to their kids before the Internet introduces them to sexuality. Her book will help parents to find that courage." -- Michael Thompson, coauthor of the NYT best-seller Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys "For every parent who's ever panicked about having 'the talk' with their child, Cindy Pierce has created a frank, honest resource to help -- and more importantly, a reminder that this isn't a 'talk' at all but rather a conversation that evolves as our boys and girls become responsible, sexually active young men and women." -- Jodi Picoult, NYT bestselling author of Nineteen Minutes and My Sister's Keeper "As parents, we wish our kids will grow up to have happy, healthy sex lives. Just 'wishing' won't help. We need to talk with them, otherwise their sex education will come from popular culture and the internet. Whether we like it or not, all teens, even preteens have to confront pornography. Cindy's book will help parents find our voices to discuss challenging topics that weren't part of our own growing up." -- Dr. Michael L. Lyons MD, Assistant Professor of Community and Family Medicine at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College "Here's a guide to having meaningful conversations on 'the other side of awkward' with our teenagers so that these young people we love so much might be safer and happier. Who doesn't need that?" -- Kelly Corrigan NYT bestselling author of Glitter and Glue, Lift, and The Middle Place "Sexploitation: Helping Kids Develop Healthy Sexuality in a Porn-Driven World is a phenomenal conversation on how to help our children develop healthy sexual and social relationships within themselves and others. Cindy is raw, real, and fantastic. Her approach will leave you educated and empowered - ready to have comfortable, adult conversations with your children." -- Stacy Nadeau, professional speaker, coach and Dove model "Cindy Pierce's Sexploitation is a searing analysis of how hyper-sexualized messages in pop culture harm our children's emotional lives. She weaves her experiences together with the stories of others, compelling data, and expert advice to offer practical advice for developing healthy social and sexual relationships. This book is a must-read for parents who are concerned about their children's happiness in a society saturated with social media and porn." -- Caroline Heldman, Associate Professor of Politics, Occidental College "Cindy Pierce takes direct aim at the place where the Tsunami of our Culture and the Heart of our Humanity intersect. Her straight talk on the importance of having conversations with our teens about how to manage the bombardment of messages from the mass media while defining their own moral (inner) compass is a helpful guide for families." -- Julie Metzger RN, MN Co-founder, Great Conversations