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 →
Body-shaming hits Bollywood
Over the years, there have been some pretty glaring examples of other countries caving to western beauty standards. For example, in 1999, a Harvard study documented the outbreak of eating disorders in Fiji, a nation that favored fuller figures until the arrival of television (and U.S. programs like Melrose Place and Xena: Warrior Princess) in… Continue Reading →
Yo magazines: It’s time YOU went on a diet!
Somebody needs to go on a diet and it’s not us. It’s the media. Their current regimen? High in digitally deceptive additives (ahem, photoshop), low in nutrient rich reality and diversity. The cure? We want real. Not retouched. That is why About-Face is honored to join the frontline of the three-day social media Keep It… Continue Reading →
Wanted: Television role models for female academics
As I go into my third year of college this September, a recent article on The Guardian inspired me. I would consider myself an aspiring academic, and the article revealed the results from a report that stated only 12% of third-year female PhD students want a career in academia.This is not to say that a majority… Continue Reading →
Kelly Clarkson succumbs to celebrity diet culture
Every shopper knows the unavoidable magazine display at the register, the check-out landmark that showcases popular women’s magazines and tawdry tabloids, covers awash in headlines that boast tone up tips and slim down secrets. Digitally doctored celebrities pose provocatively next to unhealthy promises of how to “Eat, Drink, and still Shrink.” A recent US Weekly… Continue Reading →