MANILA, Philippines – “18 roses. 18 candles. Cotillion de honor. I have always dreamed of being a debutante. Walking into an elegant ballroom wearing a beautiful gown and surrounded by my loved ones and friends. It was supposed to be my ‘coming out party.’ Instead, I was in hiding. I was six months pregnant at 18.”
Such riveting words are written at the back of the book Sex, Virginity and Relationships: What I Wish I Knew in College, written by author and women’s rights advocate Pammy Godoy. A fervent supporter of women and empowerment and gender equality, Godoy bares her soul in this book that serves both as a cautionary tale — with lessons gleaned from her own personal past — and a catalyst for change, as it encourages teen girls to unleash their potential.
The volume includes an intimate portrait of the writer, providing a work book and tool kit that will drive readers to reflect on sexuality, teenage pregnancy, motherhood, and the need for young people to form a strong sense of self in the face of society’s often unequal stance between women and men.
Godoy has long been in the forefront of the fight for greater awareness. A graduate of University of the Philippines, Los Baños, and a holder of a master’s degree in Communication from UP, Diliman, Pammy has taught Gender Studies and Women’s Studies at De La Salle University–Manila and St. Scholastica’s College, respectively. She has been working with a United Nations agency since 2008 addressing the issue of violence against women and children.
Sex, Virginity, and Relationships: What I Wish I Knew in College is for worldwide release at Amazon, Apple iTunes, Barnes & Noble and Kobo.
