Skip to main content
Intellect

Author of "A Return to Modesty" at BYU lecture Jan. 15

Wendy Shalit, author of "A Return to Modesty: Discovering the Lost Virtue," will discuss "Modesty: The Last Taboo" at a free lecture Wednesday (Jan. 15) at 6 p.m. in the Joseph Smith Building Auditorium on the Brigham Young University campus.

The lecture will be followed by a question-and-answer session as well as a book signing in the JSB foyer hosted by the BYU Bookstore.

The public is welcome to attend all events.

In her ground-breaking book, Shalit argues that modesty and honor are virtues that all men and women should treasure, and explores the history of modesty and how it has been misunderstood.

"As long as we've been human, both men and women have needed to protect their sexual vulnerability," Shalit says. "The reason for modesty is not shame, but to safeguard the preciousness of intimacy and the dignity of humanity itself."

"Wendy Shalit advocates that the 'sexual liberation' movement has done far more to enslave women and men than liberate them," says BYU religion professor Brent L. Top. "She also advocates a return to traditional virtues, and believes that society would be better as a result."

"We're pleased to have her on campus because of our parallel beliefs on the importance of virtue," he said.

The address is sponsored by BYU Religious Education, Student Life, and the College of Fine Arts and Communications.

Related Articles

data-content-type="article"

Geology meets history: BYU professor studies WWII shrapnel on Normandy beaches

June 05, 2025
Eighty years after D-Day, BYU geologists uncover lingering WWII shrapnel on Normandy beaches to study how history still shapes the coastline today.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= promoTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"

Forum: Lessons from Noise: Crackle to Calm

June 03, 2025
This year’s Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Faculty Lecturer, Kent Gee, delivered his forum address on the science of sound and how he and BYU students have contributed to significant research in the acoustics industry.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= promoTextAlignment=
data-content-type="article"

BYU study finds the real reasons why some people choose not to use artificial intelligence

June 03, 2025
In a recent study, BYU professors Jacob Steffen and Taylor Wells explored why some people are still reluctant to use GenAI tools. While some people might worry about an AI apocalypse, Steffen and Wells found that most non-users are more concerned with issues like trusting the results, missing the human touch or feeling unsure if GenAI is ethical to use.
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= promoTextAlignment=
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection=false overrideCardHideByline=false overrideCardHideDescription=false overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText=