Yes, being a #girlboss sounded great. But what did it really mean for women at work? In this edition of Author Talks, McKinsey Global Publishing’s Lucia Rahilly chats with Sophie Gilbert, staff writer at The Atlantic, about Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves (Penguin Press/Penguin Random House, Spring 2025). Gilbert analyzes some of the ways turn-of-the-century pop culture shaped Millennials’ vision of women’s power and potential—and created a legacy that may continue to limit some men and women’s progress to this day. An edited version of the conversation follows. You can watch the full video at the end of this page.
Why this book, and why now?
In 2020, I had twins in New York City during COVID-19, which was a very isolating experience. As a critic at The Atlantic, I read, I watch movies and TV and think about culture all day long. Yet, during my parental leave, I was so exhausted and depressed that I couldn't do any of those things. And I lost my sense of self in various ways.
When I went back to work, I was very interested in how culture supports our sense of identity and informs our beliefs. I wanted to look at the women of my generation—Millennial women—to see how the culture of the era we had grown up with, against this backdrop of extravagant sexism, had taught us to think and feel about ourselves and how it might have defined our ambitions.
Please select this link to read the complete article from McKinsey.