Renowned feminist author Naomi Wolf will be the keynote speaker at Sweet Briar College's 95th commencement exercises on Saturday, May 1. The ceremony will be held rain or shine at 10 a.m. on the campus Quad.

Wolf is best known for dissecting social myths that tend to keep women in an unequal position in society. She encourages women to change their lives in the realms of sexuality, motherhood, politics, and business. To honor her work and dedication, Wolf will receive an honorary Sweet Briar College degree before her commencement talk. Chosen unanimously by the SBC Board of Directors, Wolf is only the fourth recipient of the honor in the school's history.

A graduate of Yale University and a former Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, Wolf has written a number of best-selling non-fiction books including "The Beauty Myth," which introduced a fresh wave of feminism by challenging unrealistic beauty standards. The New York Times called it one of the 70 most significant books of the 20th century. Her other works include "Promiscuities: The Secret Struggle For Womanhood," an examination of society's role in inhibiting young women's sexuality, and "Misconceptions: Truth, Lies and the Unexpected on the Journey to Motherhood," which describes Wolf's mixed experiences as a new mother.

As a Rhodes Scholar candidate, Wolf has said she received "pointers on clothes, posture, and makeup" - advice not given to male candidates. The "beauty myth," according to Wolf, "uses images of female beauty as a political weapon against women's advancement. [It] can be defeated for good only through an electric resurgence of woman-centered political activism ..." In "Fire with Fire," Wolf promotes "power feminism," which encompasses both the "shared pleasures and strengths of femaleness" and "alliances based on economic self-interest and economic giving back."

Wolf has also written a number of essays published in the New Republic, The Wall Street Journal, Glamour, and The New York Times.

She is also co-founder of the Woodhull Institute. Named for Victoria Woodhull - a Wall Street stockbroker, onetime presidential candidate, and supporter of women's reproductive rights - the group teaches professional development in the arts, business, law, and politics. Designed as a "global community of women leaders," the Institute facilitates positive changes in public policies, corporate priorities, and community development.

"Naomi Wolf has had a major impact on how we think about women's issues and how we've changed what constitutes the idea of beauty and strength," says Cathy Gutierrez, professor of religion at Sweet Briar. "I am very excited to hear what she is going to do with the Woodhull Institute ... Victoria Woodhull is one of my favorite women of all time, and anything to do with her has to be good."

For media inquires, please contact Shannon Wells, SBC media relations coordinator, at (434) 381-6388 or swells@sbc.edu