The birth of Jay-Z’s daughter has not inspired him to alter the degrading language frequently used in his music. Yet. I must admit, I don’t keep up with celebrity gossip. In fact, I was shocked to hear that Beyoncé had given birth, as it was only recently I heard she was pregnant. Then my co-worker… Continue Reading →
LG Kompressor Plus: Is it funny to vacuum someone’s fat away?
The marketing masterminds employed by LG to sell their Kompressor Plus vacuum are coming up short with this commercial attempting to showcase the superior suction properties of their product: [media url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biym0whZK4A”] This clip rates high in the shock-value department, but the benefits highlighted in it are not those one would typically associate with a household… Continue Reading →
“Smart Girls at the Party” shows that smart girls have more fun
It’s not often we see girls and young women honored for their intelligence, but that’s exactly what Smart Girls at the Party does. [media url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoAy8jTfzyo”] Smart Girls is a ten-episode web series created by actress Amy Poehler, producer Meredith Walker, and musician Amy Miles. Poehler says the show was created, in some ways, as a… Continue Reading →
Rihanna’s “We Found Love” video draws a dangerous line between love and violence
Let’s be honest, people — as delicious as pop music is, it has some serious sexist potential. There are only so many times I can hear about “pimps” and “hos” and “smacking that” and other musical vulgarities without getting thoroughly sick of it all. Don’t get me wrong. Hating on pop stars isn’t my cup… Continue Reading →
Kellogg’s Special K tells women their lives could be better, if only they were thin
Given that Kellogg’s Special K basically markets itself as a diet food, my expectations for their advertising campaigns were already low. However, they have really outdone themselves with their new campaign, based around the question: “What will you gain when you lose?” In the commercials, women stand on bathroom scales that reflect buzzwords back at them:… Continue Reading →
Body-shaming a common theme at the Golden Globes
I have to be honest — I don’t watch a ton of TV. But even I am aware that on January 15, the Golden Globes were the talk of the media-inclined. Unfortunately, the articles I read are often diluted (read: polluted) by messages of sexism, attractiveness, and more often than not, body-shaming. I’m talking, of course,… Continue Reading →
Concerns over body image outrank school and stress for girls in Australia
Occasionally, media critics will get told that they take advertisements too seriously, and that messages being sent through various media channels aren’t that strong or meaningful. I know I have faced this accusation many times, and have been told that I’m either over-analyzing or am too sensitive. I’ve also been told that teens and adolescents… Continue Reading →
Disney’s “Sofia the First” still tells kids to be pretty princesses
Disney is adding a new member to their popular princess lineup, and she’s aimed directly at the youngest generation. Sofia, the title character of an upcoming TV movie (and series), “Sofia the First”, brings something new to the Disney table: she’s the first Disney princess who’s also a kid. While I can’t find any sources… Continue Reading →
The language of rape becomes mainstream
Right this minute, my head is spinning and my eyes are popping out of my head over two recent reports about how the insidious, disrespectful, anti-women messages of “Bro Culture” have completely infiltrated pop culture.