Monica Hesse

Washington, D.C.

Education: Bryn Mawr College, B.A. in English; Johns Hopkins University, M.A. in Nonfiction writing

Monica Hesse is a columnist for The Washington Post's Style section, who frequently writes about gender and its impact on society. In 2022 she was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in the field of commentary. She's the author of several novels, most recently, "They Went Left."
Latest from Monica Hesse

Trump caused the gender gap

The election is shaping up to be ‘boys vs. girls’ for a reason

October 14, 2024
Supports cheer for Donald Trump in Pennsylvania.

In the pantheon of first lady memoirs, Melania Trump’s is something else

The dominant theme of “Melania” is one of graceful grievance.

October 8, 2024

JD Vance’s family politics are incoherent

What does his vision of an ideal family have to do with the rest of us?

October 4, 2024
Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), the GOP nominee for vice president, speaks to Nevada voters at a rally in July.

What is it with Gen X women and Donald Trump?

An investigation into why women of a certain age may mind Trump less.

September 30, 2024
A rhinestone expression of support.

Does having kids make us happier?

The latest episode of Impromptu tackles the fertility crisis.

September 19, 2024

The real reasons Americans are having fewer kids

Many economists and politicians are alarmed that Americans, like others around the world, are having fewer kids. But, apart from wanting a growing labor force, is this really a problem? Opinions columnists Shadi Hamid and Heather Long talk with Style columnist Monica Hesse about what’s really behind the baby bust and whether we just need to prepare for a lower fertility future.

September 17, 2024

Kamala Harris said what Biden couldn’t about abortion

The undoing of Roe v. Wade gave Democrats a strong campaign message. Now, they have a strong messenger.

September 11, 2024
Vice President Kamala Harris took former president Trump to task for bringing about the end of Roe v. Wade with his Supreme Court appointments.

The irony of the professional tradwife

What I learned from watching too many episodes of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.”

September 10, 2024
“The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” highlights, perhaps unintentionally, the irony of turning tradwifery into a lucrative career.

JD Vance’s repeated digs at childless women are worse than you thought

It’s not about the kids they don’t have. It’s about the empathy he can’t even fathom.

September 4, 2024
Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance at a rally in Nevada on July 30.

Between dads and daughters

Three films — “Good One,” “It Ends With Us” and “Daughters” — find new things to say about how girls and young women process their relationship with their fathers.

August 17, 2024
James Le Gros and Lily Collias in "Good One."