Laura Sessions Stepp
American author and journalist (1951–2025)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Laura Sessions Stepp (born Laura Elizabeth Sessions; July 27, 1951 – February 24, 2025) was an American author and journalist.
July 27, 1951
- Earlham College (BA)
- Columbia University (MA)
- Journalist
- editor
- author
Laura Sessions Stepp | |
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| Born | Laura Elizabeth Sessions July 27, 1951 Fort Smith, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | February 24, 2025 (aged 73) Springfield, Virginia, U.S. |
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| Children | 1 |
Background
Laura Elizabeth Sessions was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, on July 27, 1951. After her parents divorced, she was raised primarily by her father, a Methodist pastor, and her stepmother.[1] Her father was an outspoken opponent of segregation, which once led to a cross burning on his front yard.[1] The family later moved and eventually settled in Buckhannon, West Virginia.[1] She obtained her bachelor's degree from Earlham College, and then received a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University.[2]
Career
She worked briefly as a television weather presenter before becoming a reporter for The Palm Beach Times and the Philadelphia Bulletin.[1] She then went to The Charlotte Observer; there, she was part of a group of reporters and editors who produced the report "A Case of Deadly Neglect" on brown lung disease. The report won the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.[2][3] That year, she married Carl Stepp, a journalism professor; they combined their surnames upon marriage.[1] A previous marriage to Robert King ended in divorce.[1] In 1982, she joined the editorial staff of The Washington Post.[2]
Sessions Stepp became known for her studies of American teen culture.[1] In 1998, she began reporting on changes in sexual practices among teenagers.[2] In 2000, she published the book Our Last Best Shot, an exploration of American adolescents.[4] In 2006, she published the book Unhooked, a critique of hookup culture among teenagers, in which she expressed concern over its potential effects on girls and young women, asking whether it was "contributing to – or destroying – their sense of self-worth and strength".[2][5] The New York Times noted that some dismissed her as a "prudish alarmist", though she said, "I am not saying, 'Have less sex'. I am saying, 'Have more romance'".[2]
Personal life and death
Carl and Laura Sessions Stepp had a son, and she became a stepmother to his two daughters from a prior marriage.[2] She attended Methodist and Lutheran churches during her adult life.[6]
Sessions Stepp died from Alzheimer's disease at a care facility in Springfield, Virginia, on February 24, 2025, at the age of 73.[2]