Well, here’s some good news we like to report! Last March, About-Face covered a horrific story about a fat-shaming exhibit Disney opened in Epcot, “Habit Heroes.” The exhibit was an interactive game in which children used virtual candy, cakes, and ice cream to combat overweight “villains,” spurred on by the physically superior “heroes,” Will Power… Continue Reading →
Supermodel Cameron Russell and the gene pool lottery
“Young girls shouldn’t aspire to be models.” Most people wouldn’t expect these words of advice to come from one of the most successful models of the year, but last week, Cameron Russell, a Columbia University grad and successful supermodel, appeared on CNN to discuss her TedX Talk that recently went viral, “Image is Powerful.” [media… Continue Reading →
America: obsessed with nudity (but only the lady version!)
The end of a year always brings with it some interesting “Top Ten” lists, ranging from best dressed to most money to least likely couple. But The Huffington Post took it to a whole new level with “The Best Nude Scenes of 2012.” Drawing on movies released throughout the past year, the Post created its list… Continue Reading →
Lea Michele and the ethics of cleavage
Lea Michele, famous Glee star and fashion icon due to her recent appearances in Marie Claire and Glamour, has a lot going for her. Her incredible voice and competitive acting skills have catapulted her to the forefront of the public eye. However, in the most recent issue of Marie Claire, Michele pointed to her breasts… Continue Reading →
Let girls be the heroes for a change
A couple of weeks ago, the Huffington Post released a pretty phenomenal article about gender representation in the virtual world. Mike Hoye, a self-employed programmer, was tired of the enormous gender gap between strong male and female characters in video games. He and his three-and-a-half year old daughter Maya regularly played Zelda: Windwaker together. Link,… Continue Reading →
Anne Hathaway in Les Mis: Emaciated is the new radiant!
It seems that losing weight the “healthy” way is slowly becoming a thing of the past. Anne Hathaway was selected to play Fantine in the film adaptation of Les Miserables, and in order to play the part, she lost 25 pounds over the course of a few weeks. Fantine, a “consumptive factory worker-turned-prostitute” dying… Continue Reading →
Rent the Runway: making fashion accessible without the stereotypes
Trying to find clothes that fit can be hard — especially when most e-commerce fashion sites use very particular body types to display their outfits. If you’re not tall and thin, browsing through page after page of garment-clad models offers you no indication of how the clothes will look on you once you buy them. Rent the… Continue Reading →
Katy Perry for Pop Chips: Is food even about flavor anymore?
It seems Pop Chips has gotten a fresh face for its new ad line. Within the past month, Katy Perry has begun to promote the all-natural potato snacks, popping up on billboards around the country. Unfortunately, as much as I’d love to endorse anything Katy Perry-related, these recent ads promote unhealthy rhetoric that perpetuates diet-obsessed… Continue Reading →
Axe does it again – disembodiment and sexism galore
Unsurprisingly, media critics have always had a tough time with Axe advertisements. Their overtly sexual nature and not-so-subtle caress of the male ego make it hard to believe that they’re selling body sprays and hair gels. But the commercial “Office Love,” just out on August 20th, takes Axe’s advertising to a whole new level. And… Continue Reading →