I’ve found myself split before on the topic of male objectification, for the simple reason that men and women don’t occupy equivalent positions of power. When advertisers and filmmakers present women as sexual objects, those representations exist in a world where women are disadvantaged socially, professionally, and politically. Sexualized images of women contribute to an overall… Continue Reading →
Thanks SO much for that 90-calorie brownie, Fiber One.
Oh, Fiber One. Like other popular snack manufacturers, you decided to take the low road in selling your [not-so-]tasty treats, and have tried to convince women that they can — horror of all horrors — break their diets and satisfy their sweet tooth with your desserts! Fiber One’s approach to selling their 90-calorie brownies isn’t… Continue Reading →
Smart Girls at the Party is back, celebrating girls just as they are
Oh, how do I love Amy Poehler, let me count the ways. Her web series, Smart Girls at the Party, returns for its second season as empowering entertainment celebrating real girls. The best part? Amy Poehler’s intimate webcam video series, “Ask Amy” where the bare-faced breath of fresh air answers girls’ questions from her bed. There… Continue Reading →
Yahoo! News paints women as just haircuts and heels
As the world of media becomes increasingly digitalized, most people are giving up the Sunday morning paper for an online news peruse. Suddenly, newspapers seem too long and burdensome compared to the brief, scandalous sound bites and one-liners that online headlines provide — Yahoo! News headlines, in particular. But what happens when “top news” becomes a… Continue Reading →
Swimming and camping and… Waxing? Oh my.
When I was 15 years old and gearing up for summertime, my thoughts were much like the thoughts of any other kid preparing for three months of school-less bliss. Beach. Camping. Barbecues. Swimming. One thing that was certainly not on my mind was whether this would be the summer I would get a bikini wax…. Continue Reading →
According to the MarketFair Mall, street harassment is A-OK!
If you’ve ever been through the uncomfortable experience of street harassment, you’ll know that one of the most frustrating things you can hear is, “Take it as a compliment.” It’s just victim-blaming dressed up in nice clothes. Any type of women in any style of dress can be harassed on the street, so calling it… Continue Reading →
Misogynist musing of the month: Hottest political women of 2012
Get ready to be pissed off. I mean really pissed off. The Washington Times’ Communities section online featured an article by independent, conservative writer Eric Golub titled, “The Top 30 Hottest Political Women of 2012”, a wretched little roster objectifying accomplished women in the name of the “ultimate aphrodisiac” — power. Think that sounds jaw-droppingly… Continue Reading →
Media moguls seem to miss the point of the Golden Rule
I remember so well my pre-school days of being taught that I should treat others the way I want to be treated. I’m not a Pollyanna about the fact that the pop culture media is not exactly prone to use this as one of their guiding principles, but sometimes they outdo themselves. E!’s show Fashion… Continue Reading →
Eating to live in Siberia
I recently returned from four months living and studying in Irkutsk, a large, beautiful city in Eastern Siberia. Since I usually live and study in Ohio, it was quite a change. The most striking thing about travel is how you end up learning more about the place you left than the place you’re in. There… Continue Reading →