A half-moon shaped incision was made and my nipple was flipped open. Then a slice of my breast was cut out, containing a tumor. It had to happen. The tumor was uncomfortable, at times painful, and without taking the whole thing out and analyzing it, cancer couldn’t completely be ruled out. I still think it’s… Continue Reading →
I’m “All About That Bass” AND Treble
Like lots of women, I’m aching for more body positivity in pop culture. Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” appears to be a great example of a body positive song with lyrics such as, “I see the magazine workin’ that Photoshop / We know that shit ain’t real” and “‘Cause every inch of you is perfect / From the… Continue Reading →
“Fat” is an emotion, according to Facebook
As a new member of Facebook, I frequently find myself flummoxed by its strange ways. Someone “liked” my “status”? I’ve been invited to play “Candy Crush”? Someone has “poked” me? Usually, with much grumbling and cursing in Yiddish, I find some way to adapt to the world of countable likes, crushes on inanimate objects, and… Continue Reading →
Old is the New Fat
Once upon a time (until a few minutes ago), there was no greater shame or punishment in our culture than being fat. Kids as young as three were worrying their cute little heads about it, scholars were chronicling how unjustly fat people are treated in powerful books like Fat Shame: Stigma and the Fat Body… Continue Reading →
Pretty Little Liars’ lies about “pretty”
Love it or hate it, ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars is an inescapable staple of current pop culture. The soupy and sartorial mystery/horror show debuted in 2010 and is nearing the end of its fifth season, with its success due to the the mix of guilty pleasure TV and a savvy intelligence of the culture in… Continue Reading →
One million other things to do this summer besides worry about your weight
For some people, summer means endless days of sleeping in, binging on Netflix, working on your tan, scoping out hot lifeguards, and making memories. However, if you’re like me and you have struggled with body image issues, summer can be a difficult time. Not only will your body be on display a whole lot more,… Continue Reading →
Tropes vs Women in Video Games examines women as background decoration
Video games are a multibillion dollar industry and a form of media in their own right. Which is precisely why it’s so important for people like Anita Sarkeesian — a media critic and the creator of Feminist Frequency — to speak out against sexism and misogyny in games. Her web series, Tropes vs. Women in… Continue Reading →
The Bikini Bridge: hoax, hot new trend, or both?
When you lie down in your bikini at the beach, are the edges suspended between the two hip bones, causing a space between the bikini and the lower abdomen? If so, then you’ve got a bikini bridge! Which is a real thing. Sort of. See, last January, the social media site called 4Chan decided to… Continue Reading →
A rock and a hard place
Let’s look at this picture for a moment, shall we? I’ve not seen a more powerful illustration of how there is no winning for girls and women – of how much both the media and other people judge a woman’s character based on what she wears. In the picture, a student has drawn 10 options… Continue Reading →