“When I went to prom in the early 1990s, I seesawed between my wish to get asked by the right guy and ride in the cool kids' limousine with the burgeoning realization that I was gay. I had a fun night, but I was far from my authentic, assertive self that night. Prom felt mostly like a job I had to do to maintain my position in the social hierarchy.”

American author

Rachel Simmons is an American author best known for Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls, published in 2002. Her work has helped bring attention to the social pressures and hidden forms of conflict that can shape girls' lives. She is associated with writing about aggression, friendship, and the ways girls navigate status and belonging. Her book remains the main work identified with her name, and it is the source of much of her public recognition.