“By the 1980s beauty had come to play in women’s status-seeking the same role as money plays in that of men: a defensive proof to aggressive competitors of womanhood or manhood. Since both value systems are reductive, neither reward is ever enough, and each quickly loses any relationship to real-life values.”

American feminist author, journalist, and conspiracy theorist

Naomi Rebekah Wolf is an American feminist author, journalist, and conspiracy theorist. She became widely known after publishing her first book, The Beauty Myth, in 1991, which made her a prominent voice in third-wave feminism. Her work drew both praise and criticism. Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan were among those who supported it, while Camille Paglia was among its critics. In the 1990s, Wolf also worked as a political adviser to the presidential campaigns of Bill Clinton and Al Gore.