LITTLE ROCK — American society has devalued love, and that's why young women have ceased to seriously date in long-term relationships, argues Laura Sessions Stepp. The Fort Smith native is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and columnist on adolescents and sexuality issues for The Washington Post. She recently published a book, Unhooked: How Young Women Pursue Sex, Delay Love and Lose at Both.
She shared her findings, gathered from following three groups of young women through an academic year, with guests at a Sept. 28 Young Professional Women of Arkansas reception at Chenal Country Club.
"I called the book Unhooked because I don't think it's as much a hook-up culture as an unhooked culture," she said. She said college-age and young professional women often view the men they're involved with similarly to how they view the job market - always looking ahead to the next best thing.
Susan Altrui and Leslie Rutledge founded the Young Professional Women of Arkansas in March. The networking organization gathers once a month in the "power room" at Doe's Eat Place for a luncheon with a woman mentor. Rutledge said the pair specifically chose that location because it's typically deemed a male strategy-forming and networking venue. Judge Rita Gruber was this month's speaker. Special events, like Sessions Stepp's talk, are held quarterly. Though the events are geared toward women, men can attend also.
"We put an emphasis on the young, but we have all age groups," Altrui said. "We wanted this to be a place for women to learn from seasoned professionals."
Sessions Stepp's event benefited Dress for Success Little Rock. The Lakeshore Drive boutique accepts donations of business attire to provide clothing, shoes and accessories to disadvantaged women. It is the local affiliate of an international nonprofit career development and support network.
Sessions Stepp was joined by her mother, Martha Rae Barnes of Charlottesville, Va., and brother and sister-in-law, Keith and Nancy Rutledge.
High Profile, Pages 50 on 10/07/2007