Reviving Ophelia

Chapter 2 focuses on Cayenne, a 15-year-old girl. At age 10, Cayenne was confident and self-assured. This manifested in an ability to stand up for herself and others; she deeply cared for fairness and justice in the world. She had stable friendships, a neutral approach to her appearance, and a good relationship with her parents. When Cayenne reached puberty and junior high school, her attitude toward life and herself began to change. She quit soccer, withdrew from her parents, and began spending time with peers who negatively influenced her. In grade nine her parents brought her to Mary Pipher, and it was clear that she was in pain and her parents were concerned. She presented with self-esteem issues about her appearance, a herpes diagnosis, and a reluctance to be open.

It is through discussions about music and movies that Cayenne finally begins to share her personal thoughts and experiences, including her experiences of objectification and being thrust into a world of pressure around sex when she entered seventh grade. She tells Pipher of her first time having sex and how the following relationship went nowhere and resulted in her contracting an STI. Pipher explains that Cayenne’s story is like many of the girls she has worked with; girls seem to exhibit common problems that appear to be the result of cultural norms rather than individual pathologies.