Jessica Bennett writes on cultural affairs, social trends, women's issues and sexuality for NEWSWEEK and Newsweek.com. In 2009, she was the recipient of a GLAAD award for her work on a series about the rise of a new generation of gay activists post-Proposition 8, and has written on everything from love in the digital age to the rise of online virtual worlds, which was the subject of a 2007 cover story, "Alternate Universe." She works closely with Newsweek's video team, and recently spent time in Compton, Calif., producing a three-part documentary series on the community's effort to reshape its image.

Bennett has served as an associate editor for NEWSWEEK's Periscope (now Scope) section of the magazine, and spent time as an investigative researcher for New York political reporter Wayne Barrett prior to joining the staff. She contributed reporting to the 2006 publication of "Grand Illusion: The Untold Story of Rudy Giuliani and 9/11" (Harper Collins) and spent time as a reporting fellow at The Boston Globe, where she wrote on crime and local politics. Originally from Seattle, Bennett holds a B.S. in print journalism from Boston University and a certificate in cultural anthropology from the University of Buenos Aires.