“Within the complex interplay of biology and environment that sets the start of puberty, family adversity – including instability in parents’ relationships – has been identified as a fairly consistent accelerator of pubertal timing (Belsky et al., 2007). Turning from antecedents to consequences, the many developmental problems associated with early pubertal timing for girls (e.g., risky sex, substance use) are well documented. Included in this phenomenon are a range of academic troubles that, given the highly cumulative nature of the American educational system, have potential to translate short-term behavior disruptions into long-term life course disadvantages.”

This flippant reduction of adolescent girlhood into risky sexual behavior and low academic performance (or at least my interpretation of this reduction) really irked me. While I’m aware that there has been much research beyond this article about the consequences of early pubertal timing for young women/girls, I think it is dangerous to say that just early puberty leads to (insert scary consequence here), without factoring in the whole picture of a person or the society/culture they live within. What about early pubertal timing plus lack of comprehensive sexuality education and lessons on consent leads to risky sexual behavior? Or early pubertal timing plus growing up in patriarchal society leads to risky sexual behavior and poor academic standing? Or how about early pubertal timing plus teachers and principals asking young women/femmes/trans students/black students to change clothing or hairstyle so that they aren’t distracting – what about that all too common scenario as a more acute factor to poor academic standing?